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Archive Report: US Forces
1941 - 1945

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.

We seek additional information and photographs. Please contact us via Helpdesk
10th Air Force
03.08.1943 22nd Bombardment Squadron (M) B-25C 42-53417, 1st Lt. Charles W. McCook

Operation: Meiktila Dam, Burma (Myanmar)

Date: 3rd August 1943 (Tuesday)

Unit No: 22nd Bombardment Squadron (M), 341st Bombardment Group (M), 10th Air Force

Type: B-25C

Serial No: 42-53417

Code: Unknown

Base: Kurmitola Airfield, Dhaka District, Bangladesh

Location: Last seen over the target

Pilot: 1st Lt. Charles Woodruff McCook O-435963 AAF Age 23. MiA

Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Nathaniel Lee Hightower Jr. O-794544 AAF Age 27. MiA

Navigator: 1st Lt. Henry J. Carlin O-789451 AAF Age 26. MiA

Engineer/Gunner: Sgt. John Earl Leisure Jr. 19051314 AAF Age 28. PoW */DED **/MiA (1)

Radio/Gunner: T/Sgt. John Wilson Boyd 17029714 AAF Age 24. PoW *

Armourer/Gunner: Sgt. Sidney Burke 15084960 AAF Age 22. MiA

* Burma #5 (Moulmein & Rangoon Jail)

** DED = Declared dead

REASON FOR LOSS:

The aircraft failed to return to base after participating in a low altitude bombing attack on Meiktila Dam in Burma (Myanmar). The aircraft was last seen over the target and was lost in unknown circumstances.

Later information determined that at least Sgt. Leisure Jr. and T/Sgt. Boyd had either survived a crash landing or had baled out and were captured by the Japanese. They were eventually incarcerated at the Burma #5 PoW camp.

(1) Sgt. Liesure died (Declared dead (DED) on the 12th January 1945) whilst being held as a PoW at the Burma #5 camp known as the New Law Courts Jail, Rangoon, Burma. A British Military Court convened in Rangoon, Burma between the 6th and 19th June 1946 determined that his death was deemed to be a war crime.

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 by this 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.

Burial Details

Above: 1st Lt. Charles W. McCook, Manila American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing (Courtesy of the ABMC)

1st Lt. Charles Woodruff McCook. Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal (AM), Purple Heart (PH). Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery. Born on the 5th May 1920 in Robeline, Louisiana. Son of Isaac Joel and Maymee Lee (née Little) McCook of Georgetown, Texas, USA.

Above: 2nd Lt. Nathaniel L. Hightower, Manila American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing (Courtesy of the ABMC)

2nd Lt. Nathaniel Lee Hightower Jr. Air Medal (AM), Purple Heart (PH). Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery. Born on the 10th June 1916 in Atlanta, Georgia. Son of Mina McGinty Hightower of Atlanta, Georgia. Husband to Elizabeth (née Beaty) Hightower of Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Above: 1st Lt. Henry J. Carlin, Manila American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing (Courtesy of the ABMC)

1st Lt. Henry J. Carlin Jr. Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal (AM), Purple Heart (PH). Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery. Born on the 5th July 1916 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Son of Henry J. Carlin Sr. and Kathryn E. Carlin (deceased) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Sgt. John Earl Leisure Jr. Air Medal (AM). It is currently unknown where Sgt. Leisure Jr. is interred. His military record notes that he was interred by "Administrative Decision". Born on the 12th December 1915 in Holly, Colorado. Son of John Earl and Gladys Faye (née Lester) Leisure of Compton, California, USA.

Above: Sgt. Sidney Burke, Manila American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing (Courtesy of the ABMC)

Sgt. Sidney Burke. Air Medal (AM), Purple Heart (PH). Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery. Born on the 9th April 1921 in Pennsylvania. Son of Alex and Fannie (née Schwartz) of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to this crew and their families (Jan 2025).

Other sources listed below:

RS 19.01.2025 - Initial Upload

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Acknowledgments: Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and Captain François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Andrew Mielnik: Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Polish graves: https://niebieskaeskadra.pl/, PoW Museum Żagań, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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