Operation: Bombing mission at Mawlu (Maw Luu) in Burma (Myanmar)

Date: 20th May 1944 (Saturday)

Unit No: 434th Bombardment Squadron (M), 12th Bombardment Group (M), 10th Air Force

Type: B-25J

Serial: 43-3896

Code: Unknown

Base: Kurmitola, India

Location: Mawlu, Burma (Myanmar)

Pilot: 1st Lt. John Henry McCloskey O-796848 AAF Age 23. PoW *

Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Thomas William Snee O-677300 AAF Age 25. KiA

Navigator/ Bombardier: Capt. Wayne Robert Westberg O-732792 AAF Age 23. PoW */DED **/MiA (1)

Radio Op/Gunner: T/Sgt. Edward F. Niland 32251492 AAF Age? PoW *

Engineer/Gunner: S/Sgt. Norman Lee Snyder 39828641 Age 22. PoW *

Tail Gunner: S/Sgt. Leland Hershal Waltrip 39251861 AAF Age 23. PoW *

* Burma #5 (Moulmein & Rangoon Jail).

** DED = Declared dead

Above: Thomas W. Snee. Class Book for 43-C. "Wings Aloft", Lubback Army Flying School, Coleman, Texas. 1943

REASON FOR LOSS:

1st Lt. McCloskey and his crew took off from the forward airstrip at Furmitol in India on a mission to bomb targets at Mawlu (Maw Luu) in Burma (Myanmar).

The aircraft was last sighted at 07:20 hrs by 1st Lt. John N. Walker while making his bomb run over the target. While on his bomb run he had encountered enemy ground fire from small calibre type weapons. After that 1st Lt. McCloskey’s aircraft was not seen again.

The Japanese informed 1st Lt. McCloskey after he had been captured that they had found 2nd Lt. Snee’s body and that he died when his parachute failed to open.

(1) 1st Lt. McCloskey also reported that Capt. Westberg had survived the bale out but had died of dysentery on the 22nd August 1944 and that he personally prepared him for burial.

Two British Military Courts were convened in Rangoon, Burma that determined that Capt. Westberg’s death was deemed to be a war crime.

First Trial:

A British Military Court convened in Rangoon, Burma between the 18th and 24th April 1946 determined that his death was deemed to be a war crime.

The first was held between the 18th and 24th April 1946 where two (2) members of the Imperial Japanese Army were charged with committing a war crime in that they, at the New Law Courts Jail Annex, Rangoon, Burma, between the 1st March 1944 and 27th July 1944, being in violation of the laws and usages of war, were together concerned in brutality towards and ill-treatment of American and British PoWs, resulting in the physical suffering of thirteen (13) PoWs and the deaths of five (5) of the thirteen (13).

The accused were:

Capt. (Rikugun-tai-i) UYENO Masakaru who was the former Commanding Officer (CO) of Futo Buntai, Rangoon, Burma and also the CO of the Futo Buntai prison;

Capt. (Rikugun-tai-i) YAMAZAKI Kaname was the Medical Officer (MO) of the prison.

Note: the Japanese word Rikugun preceding a rank indicates that it relates to the army.

Both were also members of or attached to the Kempeitai who were the military police of the Imperial Japanese Army and functioned much like the Gestapo in Nazi Germany.

Capt. UYENO was in post at the Futo Buntai prison, also known as the New Law Courts Jail Annex, from 1st March 1944 until 31st December 1944. Capt. YAMAZAKI was in post during the same period, and was responsible for the sanitary conditions of the Annex and the health and physical well being of its inmates.

During the period they were in charge a number of American and British airmen were incarcerated in the Annex where they were kept in confinement under harsh and oppressive regulations without proper or adequate food, covering, sanitation facilities and medical attention.

On or about the 5th or 6th July 1944, the following thirteen (13) airmen were brutally beaten with clubs, iron pipes, belts and were kicked to such an extent that at least two (2) of them were seriously injured:

Capt. John H. McCloskey; Capt. Wayne R. Westberg; Capt. William R. Gilhousen; 1st Lt. Louis W. Bishop; FO. Gene Gambale; 2nd Lt. John T. Whitescarver; 1st Lt. Amel Boldman Jr.; T/Sgt. Edward F. Niland; S/Sgt. James M. McKernan; S/Sgt. Norman L. Snyder; S/Sgt. Leland W. Waltrip; T/Sgt. Tyman H. Wells Jr. and Sgt. John G. Parker, Royal Air Force.

The treatment meted out to the PoWs directly contributed to the deaths of Capt. Westberg, Capt. Gilhousen, FO. Gambale, 1st Lt. Boldman Jr. and Sgt. Parker.

The court found YAMAZAKI not guilty of the charges.

However, UYENO was found guilty of causing the deaths of Capt. Gilbousen 1st Lt. Boldman Jr. and Sgt. Parker. He was found not guilty of causing the deaths of Capt. Westberg and FO. Gambale but guilty of the brutality inflicted upon them.

UYENO was sentenced to death by hanging which was carried out on the 19th June 1946 at the Rangoon Central Jail.

Second Trial:

The second trial was held between the 6th and 19th June 1946 where four (4) members of the Imperial Japanese Army were charged with committing a war crime in that they, at the New Law Courts Jail Annex, Rangoon, Burma, between the 1st March 1944 and 1st May 1945 when members of the Staff of the Jail and were responsible for the well-being of the prisoners in custody there, in violation of the laws and usages of war, were together concerned as parties to the ill-treatment resulting in the deaths of seventeen (17) and other American PoW, and physical suffering to other American PoW in custody at the jail.

The four (4) accused were:

Captain (Rikugun-tai-i) TAZUMI Motozo;

1st Lieutenant (Rikugun-Chūi) ONISHI Akio;

Sergeant Major (Rikugun-Sōchō) UENO Kiyoshi;

Superior Private (Rikugun-Jōtō-Hei) UENO Koigetsu.

Note: the Japanese word Rikugun preceding a rank indicates that it relates to the army.

Capt. TAZUMI was the Commanding Officer (CO) of the Futo Buntai prison, also known as the New Law Courts Jail Annex, from 15th March 1944 until May 1944. Lt. ONISHI was the Medical Officer (MO) at the Jail from the 4th May 1944 to the 15th April 1945.

Sgt Maj. UENO was the Quartermaster in change of purchasing food and drawing rations for the entire personnel for the Jail from March 1944 until the evacuation on or about the 25th April 1945.

Sup Pvt. UENO was a member of the guard at the Jail from the 25th April 1943 to 10th October 1944.

During the period April 1943 to May 1945 approximately one-hundred (100) American PoWs were incarcerated in the Annex where they were kept in confinement under harsh and oppressive regulations without proper or adequate food, covering, sanitation facilities and medical attention. During this time the PoWs were subjected to brutal beatings and maltreatment by members of the staff of the jail and in particular by Sup Pvt. UENO.

The treatment of the PoWs directly contributed the deaths of the following seventeen (17) named Americans, and other PoWs:

Sgt. Norman E. Albinson, Sgt. John E. Leisure, Cpl Julius F. Yackie, T/Sgt. Charles A. Pittard, S/Sgt. Jack R. Sheets, 1st Lt. Robert D. Drummey, 1st Lt. Burdette C. Goodrich, Capt. Armin J. Ortmeyer, 2nd Lt. Joseph G. Rich, 2nd Lt. Burdette H. Baker, 1st Lt. James M. Grey, S/Sgt. Frank Rodriguez, Capt. Wayne R. Westberg, 2nd Lt. Everitt E. Briggs Jr., 1st Lt. Paul E. Almand, FO. Gene Gambale, Sgt. J. Brown. (No corroborated information for a US airman for this rank and name has been found).

The court found TAZUMI guilty of the charge except in the case of the deaths of the seventeen (17) named Americans and other PoWs.

ONISHI was found guilty of the ill-treatment resulting in the death of 1st Lt. Robert D. Drummey and contributing to the deaths of Sgt. Norman E. Albinson, 1st Lt. Burdette C. Goodrich, Capt. Armin J. Ortmeyer, 2nd Lt. Joseph G. Rich, 2nd Lt. Burdette H. Baker, 1st Lt. James M. Grey, S/Sgt. Frank Rodriguez, 2nd Lt. Everitt E. Briggs Jr., 1st Lt. Paul E. Almand and Sgt. J. Brown.

Sgt Maj. UENO and Sup Pvt. UENO were found guilty of the charge except in the case of the deaths of the seventeen (17) named Americans and other PoWs.

The court sentenced TAZUMI, UENO Kiyoshi and UENO Koigetsu to 7 years, 3 years and 15 years imprisonment respectively.

ONISHI was sentence to death, however, upon review on the 14th March 1947 the sentence of death was commuted to imprisonment for life.

Capt. Westberg’s remains were recovered on the 5th May 1946 from the Rangoon Cantonment Cemetery by the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS). On the 17th May 1946 their remains were loaded aboard C-47B 43-48308 of the 1304th AAF Base Unit to be transported from Mingaladon in Rangoon to Barrackpore in India. The aircraft failed to arrive at the ETA and despite an extensive air search no trace of any wreckage on land or sea was found and the aircraft, crew, passengers and the remains of this airmen along with another thirty-seven (37) are still missing to this day.

Burial details:

2nd Lt. Thomas William Snee. Air Medal, Purple Heart. Repatriated and laid to rest at the Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, New York. Born on the 20th March 1919 in the Bronx, New York. Son of Thomas Michael and Elizabeth Margaret (née Houlahan) Snee of Tottenville, Staten Island, New York. Husband to Ruth (née Yobs) Snee of Arlington, Virginia, USA

He is also remembered along with his brother and cousin on a memorial plaque in Guadalcanal airport in the Solomon Islands.

Above: Capt. Wayne Robert Westberg, Walls of the Missing (courtesy of the ABMC)

Capt. Wayne Robert Westberg. Air Medal (7 Oak Leaf Clusters), Purple Heart. Remembered at the Manila American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing. Born on the 9th January 1921 in Washington, Minnesota. Son of Harry Lawrence (died in September 1936) and Velma Katherine (née Schmidt) Westberg of Moline, Rock Island, Illinois, USA.

Researched by Ralph Snape and Traugott Vitz for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the relatives of this crew. Thanks also to Traugott Vitz for his work on the ‘VitzArchive’. Addition of second triall information (Jan 2025).

Other sources listed below:

Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them. Franklin Delano Roosevelt