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Operation: Fighter Protection, Burma (Myanmar)
Date: 27th November 1943 (Saturday)
Unit No: 459th Fighter Squadron, 80th Fighter Group, 10th Air Force
Type: P-38H
Serial No: 42-66990
Code: Unknown
Base: Kurmitola, India
Location: Rangoon (Yangon), Burma (Myanmar)
Pilot: Capt. Armin John Ortmeyer Jr. O-659326 AAF Age 28. PoW */DED**/MiA
* Burma #5 (Moulmein & Rangoon Jail)
** DED = Declared dead
Above: Capt. Armin J. Ortmeyer Jr. as a 1st Lt. (Courtesy of The Tampa Times, dated 25th April 1942)
REASON FOR LOSS:
The loss of Capt. Armin J. Ortmeyer Jr. and his P-38H was described in a statement by:
Statement by 1st Lt. Geoffrey E. Neal O-666427 of the 530th Fighter Sqn, 311 Fighter Group:
“Flying a P-51 escorting B-25’s over Rangoon at approximately 1300, November 27, 1943, as the B-24's hit Rangoon from an altitude of 18,000 feet. I saw the four P-38’s over the centre flight of B-24's and about 2000' above them. At that time I noticed six Zakes above and up sun of the P-38's, and diving down upon them. I saw the P-38’s start a turn into the attack, but was not able to watch them any further”.
Note: 1st Lt. Geoffrey Edward Neal, Silver Star (SS), Air Medal (AM), Purple Heart (PH) was killed on the 8th February 1944 when his P-51A 43-6312 was in a midair collision with P-51A 43-6074 at Shawngni Ga, Burma. He is posted MiA and remembered on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery.
The pilot of P-51A 43-6074 was 1st Lt. Wesley Dale Pearson O-686012. He survived but no further details found.
Statement by Capt. John E. Fouts Jr. O-406733:
“At 13:00, November 27, 1943, I was leading a two ship element, four ship flight escorting a flight of B-24’s at an altitude of 20,000 feet over Rangoon. Capt. Ortmeyer with 1st Lt. Harlan as wing man, formed the 2nd element echelon to right. 2nd Lt. James G. Harris was my wing man.
I saw five Zeros at 12 o’clock, 3000' below us. We started down to make a pass and as we did, the Zeros turned away. While diving I looked behind and saw six other Zeros following us. I gave orders to drop auxiliary tanks and give the "gun". We pulled up in a chantelle trying to get on the tail of the Zeros. The last I saw of Capt. Ortmeyer and 1st Lt. Harlan was when we started our dive on the five Zeros, Lt Harris stayed with me and returned to Ramu”.
The Chantelle is an aircraft control manoeuvre where the pilot combines a 180 degree turn with a climb.
Note: 1st Lt. Jay R. Harlan O-750583, Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Purple Heart (PH) was the pilot of P-38H 42-66982 and was KiA when his aircraft was shot down.
It is believed that Capt. Ortmeyer Jr baled out of the aircraft. He was subsequently captured by the Japanese and was incarcerated at the Burma #5 camp known as the New Law Courts Jail, Rangoon, Burma.
Capt. Ortmeyer Jr. died (Declared dead (DED) on the 13th January 1945) whilst being held as a PoW. 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 Jr., 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 Jr., 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.
The remains of Capt. Armin J. Ortmeyer 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
Above: Capt. Armin J. Ortmeyer, Manila American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing (Courtesy of the ABMC)
Capt. Armin John Ortmeyer Jr. Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Purple Heart (PH). Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery. Born on the 5th March 1915 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Son of Armin John and Leila Myrle Ortmeyer of Tampa, Florida, USA.
Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to this pilot and his family (Jan 2025).
Other sources listed below:
RS 17.01.2025 - Initial Upload
RS 17.01.2025 - Initial Upload
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