Operation: Escort mission, Rabaul, New Britain

Date: 23rd December 1943 (Thursday)

Unit No: Fighting Squadron 33 (VF-33), United States Navy (USN)

Type: F6F-3 Hellcat

Serial: 25801

Code: Unknown

Base: Ondonga Airfield, New Georgia Island

Location: Karavia Bay, New Britain

Pilot: Lt (Jg). James Arthur Warren DFC, O-156661 USNR Age 22. PoW * /Died

* Tunnel Hill PoW Camp, Rabaul, New Britain

Above: Lt (Jg). James A. Warren DFC (Courtesy of The Grand Rapids Press, dated 21st November 1945)

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the 23rd December 1943 VF-33 took-off from Ondonga Airfield and landed at Torokina Airfield on Bougainville at 07:30 hrs to refuel.

Lt (Jg). Warren took-off again at about 11:30 hrs as one of fifteen (15) Hellcats on a mission to escort eighteen (18) B-24s on a bombing mission against Rabaul. They were joined by eight (8) F6F-3 Hellcats from Fighting Squadron 40 (VF-40) and seven (7) F4U-1 Corsairs from Marine Fighting Squadron 222 (VMF-222).

Lt (Jg). Warren was leading the second element of three (3) Hellcats from VF-33. In a dogfight over Simpson Harbor he became separated and was never seen again after 01:15 hrs.

It was later established that Lt (Jg). Warren had baled out over Karavia Bay and had been captured. He was held at the 6th Field Kempeitai Headquarters (HQ) PoW Compound. On the 2nd March 1944 after the 6th Field Kempeitai HQ was destroyed in a bombing raid he was amongst the approximately fifty-three (53) PoWs who were transferred to another camp known as the Tunnel Hill Cave PoW Camp in a mountain pass named Tanoura on Tunnel Hill road, which was about 2½ miles from Rabaul City and between Rabaul and Pilapila.

In his affidavit 1st Lt. Jose L. Holguin reported that in his opinion because of gross negligence by the Japanese in not providing adequate food and medical attention Lt (Jg). Warren died on the 3rd June 1944 from Dysentery.

An overview of the investigation into the circumstances of the deaths and those deemed to be responsible for executions and atrocities is summarised in the report entitled “Talili Bay Massacre, New Britain”.

On the 29th December 1945, the 18th Australian War Graves Unit recovered the remains of twelve (12) Allied personnel which were found in graves located approximately 50 yards south of the Tunnel Hill ‘Death Valley’ PoW Camp.

The identity of Lt (Jg). Warren and the other eleven (11) were translated from the crosses over the graves, checked against the Japanese Military Police records and a list provided by Capt. John J. Murphy:

1st Lt. Hugh L. Cornelius O-14783 USMCR;
1st Lt. Thomas B. Fessenger O-663706 USAAF;
1st Lt. John J. Fitzgerald O-26468 USMCR;
1st Lt. Billy D. Hanks O-737083 USAAF;
1st Lt. Charles C. Lanphier O-11933 USMCR;
1st Lt. Robert W. Sherman O-24763 USMCR;
S/Sgt. John J. Gillis Jr. 20610868 USAAF;
Sqn Ldr. John E. Todd 271707 RAAF;
Flt Sgt. Harry B. Dawkins 280791 RAAF;
Fg Off. Leslie A. McLelland-Symonds 401314 RNZAF;
WO. Norman N. Vickers 413232 RNZAF.

Although Lt (Jg). Warren was one of those identified none of the remains recovered from this site and a second burial site near the Tunnel Hill PoW camp were subsequently identified as those of Lt (Jg). Warren and as a consequence he is still MiA.

Above: Notification of the death of Lt (Jg). James A. Warren DFC (Courtesy of The Grand Rapids Press, dated 21st November 1945

On the 6th September 1943, while escorting bombers over Morgusaia Island, the then ENS. James A. Warren, made contact with enemy fighters and in the ensuing action shot down the first enemy plane credited to the F6F-3 Hellcat. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for his three (3) combat tours in the Soloman islands between September 1943 to January 1944 and was credited with shooting down three (3) enemy aircraft.

Burial details:

Above: Lt (Jg). James A. Warren, Manila American Cemetery, Walls of the Missing (Courtesy of the ABMC.)

Lt (Jg). James Arthur Warren. Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Purple Heart (PH). Manila American Cemetery, Wall of the Missing. Born on the 21st October 1921 in Sparta, Michigan. Son of James Arthur and Rose Warren of Sparta, Michigan, USA.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the pilot and his relatives (May 2026).

Other sources listed below:

Reference(s):

1. NAA: 336/1/1955 Part 7

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