• Kracker Archive
• Allied Losses
• Archiwum Polish
• Paradie Canadian
• RCAF
• RAAF
• RNZAF
• USA
• Searchable Lists
Operation: Pakokku, Burma
Date: 14th November 1943 (Sunday)
Unit No: 493rd Bombardment Sqn (H), 7th Bombardment Group (H), 10th Air Force
Type: B-24J
Serial: 42-73059
Code: Unknown
Base: Padaveswar, India
Location: About sixty (60) miles south of Mandalay, Burma
Pilot: Maj. Wesley Werner SM, O-399595 AAF Age 26. PoW * (1)
Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Theodore Fuller ‘Ted’ Young Jr. DFC, O-742474 AAF Age 23. PoW */Died
Navigator: 2nd Lt. Thomas P. Hogan O-673571 AAF Age 23. PoW */Died/MiA (2)
Bombardier: 1st Lt. John Calvin Kelley DFC, O-726034 AAF Age 26. PoW */Died/MiA (2)
Engineer: T/Sgt. Urvan August Aubuchon DFC, 37183004 AAF Age 32. PoW */Died/MiA (2)
Radio Operator: T/Sgt. Francis Martin Daly Jr. DFC, 16108393 AAF Age 19. PoW * (1)
Asst Engineer: S/Sgt. Thomas Edward Hopes 35305336 AAF Age 23. PoW */Died/MiA (2)
Asst Radio Operator: S/Sgt. Francis B. Jordan 19064268 AAF Age 23. PoW */Died/MiA (2)
Armorer Gunner: S/Sgt. Sidney Kurtz DFC, 32495303 AAF Age 32. KiA
Armorer Gunner: S/Sgt. Robert Paul Tucker DFC, 35393382 AAF Age 21. KiA
* Burma #5 (Moulmein & Rangoon Jail) Burma (This was also known as the Futo Buntai prison or New Law Courts Jail, Rangoon, Burma).
Above left to right: Maj. Werner (Courtesy of the St Louis Post Dispatch, dated 9th September 1945), 2nd Lt. Young Jr. (Courtesy of the Tampa Bay Times, dated 4th November 1943), 1st Lt. Kelly (Courtesy of The Commercial Appeal, dated 1st December 1943), T/Sgt. Aubuchon (Courtesy of the St Louis Post Dispatch, dated 28th November 1943)
REASON FOR LOSS:
On the 14th November 1943 B-24J 42-73059 joined a force of 6 (six) bombers on a mission detailed to bomb the town of Pakokku in Burma. Shortly after dropping their bombs, they were attacked by fifteen (15) to twenty (20) Japanese fighters and a fierce battle ensued.
1st Lt. Leland G. Berlette O-661915 who was the Pilot of a returning bomber described the action leading to the losses of three (3) of the flight.
‘Lt. Kimball's plane was the first to go down. When the attack started he was leading the second element and I was flying #2 position on his right wing. His #2 engine was hit, started smoking immediately and a few seconds later appeared to be on fire. Both pilot and co-pilot were evidently wounded for prop was not feathered and plane dropped back immediately. I dropped back to cover him, but his plane then made a steep right turn and disappeared from view beneath our plane, later pulling up on our right and apparently under control. After another head on pass my ball turret gunner states that plane immediately dropped down, turned over on its back and dived straight into the ground, exploding into flame immediately. No one baled out. At this time we were flying at approximately 11,000 feet’.
1st Lt. George R. Kimball O-661493 was the pilot of B-24J 42-73304. He and seven (7) of his crew were KiA, with T/Sgt. Ernest S. Quick 14082928 and T/Sgt. Grady M. Farley 14107685 becoming PoWs.
‘During this tine Lt. Mcloughlin's plane had one engine hit, which had been feathered, but he was still flying good formation. Our formation had dropped down to about 30 to 50 feet above the ground, in order to cut own number of passes and also to stay with crippled ships which apparently had difficulty in maintaining level flight. My tail gunner observed Lt. McLoughlin's plane at the time and he was apparently attempting a crash landing, but just off the ground his left wing dropped and plane hit ground slightly nose down bursting into flams immediately. No one had baled out or jumped out, at any time, and plane disintegrated on contact with ground’.
1st Lt. Willis J. McLoughlin O-726805 was the pilot of B-24J 42-731194. He and his crew of nine (9) were KiA.
‘It was just a few second later that Major Werner's plane crashed. Early in the fight he had lost an engine on the left wing which wouldn't feather and finally froze. Soon his other engine on the left wing had been hit and was smoking badly, apparently on fire. This engine was not feathered either. At an altitude of approximately 2,000 feet, I noticed his #3 engine was throwing out a slight trail of smoke. At the time of his crash, we were flying up a dry river bed at ground level, and I was flying to the left, of Major Werner's ship abreast of him. We were indicating only 135 mph and it seemed that his ship was slowly mushing down. Just above the ground his left wing tip dropped, dragged the ground and nosed the plane in. I was watching his plane saw #1 engine propeller blades break off and scatter in every direction. An instant later the plane exploded in a large sheet of flame which extended upwards higher than our plane. Personnel and pieces of the craft flew in all directions as a result of the explosion and my tail gunner stated that the only distinguishable features of the plane was the complete tail assembly which he observed for just an instant before it too was obscured from view by the fire.
Our remaining three planes throttled up to about 190 to 200 mph and headed toward the hills, At this time my top turret gunner shot down the last fighter making a pass on us, and the remainder of them turned back’.
The aircraft crashed at 12:50 hrs just west of the Chindwin River, about sixty (60) miles south of Mandalay.
S/Sgt. Kurtz and S/Sgt. Tucker were killed in the crash while the other crew members were all injured and as a result could not extricate their dead comrades from the wreckage to bury them. They had to abandon the scene of the crash and their two bodies, and travel as best they could to a nearby Burmese village. The villagers contacted the Japanese who captured them.
They were then transferred to Meitikila in the Mandalay Region were 2nd Lt. Young Jr. died as result of his injuries on the 15th November 1943. The Japanese buried him, S/Sgt. Kurtz and S/Sgt. Tucker in the cemetery at Meiktila on the banks of the Meiktila Lake.
Their remains were recovered, repatriated and laid to rest in a joint grave at the Raleigh National Cemetery, Raleigh, North Carolina on the 23rd September 1949.
The rest of the crew were taken to the Rangoon Jail where they were confined three (3) men to a cell with Maj. Werner, 2nd Lt. Hogan and T/Sgt. Daly Jr. together in one cell.
Above: Rangoon, Burma. 2nd May 1945. The jail in which the Japanese held Allied prisoners of war (PoWs) showing the roof marking which was put there by the prisoners as a message to the aircraft flying over the town on D-Day. The message on the long red-roofed building reads, 'British Here' and on the other side 'Japs Gone', painted in large white letters.
On or about the 20th November, 2nd Lt. Hogan died of his injuries during the night and was buried by the prisoners in the Rangoon cemetery, which was about a mile from the prison. After his death they were moved out of the cells and into the compounds. S/Sgt. Hopes, S/Sgt. Jordan and T/Sgt. Daly Jr. were moved to the British compound, while 1st Lt. Kelley and T/Sgt. Aubuchon were moved to the American compound.
On or about the 22nd November, S/Sgt. Hopes succumbed to his injuries and was buried in the Rangoon cemetery. On or about the 27th November, S/Sgt. Jordan also succumbed to his injuries and was buried next to S/Sgt. Hopes in the Rangoon cemetery. In the American compound T/Sgt. Aubuchon died on the 26th November and 1st Lt. Kelley on the 17th December. Both were also buried by the prisoners in the Rangoon cemetery.
Maj. Werner later reported that their deaths were attributed to the severe burns received in the aircraft crash coupled with the grossly inadequate medical care provided by the Japanese.
(1) The attached clipping, courtesy of The Salt Lake Tribun,e dated 23rd July 1945, describes the PoW experiences of Maj. Werner and T/Sgt. Daly Jr. their forced march and rescue from the southern Burma jungles.
Maj. Werner was awarded the Soldier’s Medal (SM), the Purple Heart (PH) and an Air Medal (AM) with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the second was awarded on the 23rd July 1952 whilst serving with the Far East Air Force flying B-29s over Korea.
Soldier’s Medal (SM) - The Soldier's Medal is awarded to any person of the Armed Forces of the United States or of a friendly foreign nation who, while serving in any capacity with the Army of the United States, including Reserve Component soldiers not serving in a duty status at the time of the heroic act, distinguished himself or herself by heroism not involving conflict with an enemy.
Wesley Werner was born on the 28th October 1917 in St. Louis, Missouri. He passed away on the 12th April 2009, aged 91, in Melbourne, Florida, USA.
T/Sgt. Daly Jr. was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and an Air Medal (AM).
Francis Martin Daly Jr. was born on the 23rd February 1924 in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan. Francis passed away on the 30th October 2009 in Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County, Michigan, USA.
(2) The remains of 2nd Lt. Hogan, 1st Lt. Kelley, T/Sgt. Aubuchon, S/Sgt. Hopes and S/Sgt. Jordan were recovered 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 these five (5) airmen along with another thirty-three (33) are still missing to this day.
Burial details:
Above: Joint Grave Marker for 2nd Lt. Theodore Fuller ‘Ted’ Young Jr., S/Sgt. Sidney Kurtz and S/Sgt. Robert Paul Tucker (Courtesy of and in memory of "Fallen Graver" Dan Whitehead - FindAGrave)
2nd Lt. Theodore Fuller ‘Ted’ Young Jr. Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal (AM). Joint Grave, Section 1517, Grave 110 at the Raleigh National Cemetery, Raleigh, North Carolina. Born on the 5th June 1920 in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Son of Phil Clayton and Nettie Rebecca (née Fuller) Young of Foxborough, Norfolk, Massachusetts. Husband to Mary Alice (née Fox) Young of Peterborough, Florida, USA.
Above: Wall of the missing for 2nd Lt. Thomas P. Hogan (Courtesy of the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC))
2nd Lt. Thomas P. Hogan. Air Medal (AM), Purple Heart (PH). Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery. Born on the 25th February 1920 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Son of Nell C. Hogan of Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, USA.
Above: Wall of the missing for 1st Lt. John C. Kelley (Courtesy of the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC))
1st Lt. John Calvin Kelley. Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal (AM) (Oak Leaf Cluster), Purple Heart (PH). Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery. Born on the 16th November 1917 in Garland, Tipton, Tennessee. Son of Albert Alonzo (deceased in July 1925) and Laura Ellen (née Luttrell) Kelley of Tipton, Tennessee, USA.
Above: Wall of the missing for T/Sgt. Urvan August Aubuchon.(Courtesy of the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC))
T/Sgt. Urvan August Aubuchon. Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal (AM), Purple Heart (PH). Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery. Born on the 20th July 1911 in St. Louis, Missouri. Son of James Leavy (deceased in November 1924) and Marie M. (née Venot) Aubuchon of St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Above: Wall of the missing for S/Sgt. Thomas Edward Hopes. (Courtesy of the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC))
S/Sgt. Thomas Edward Hopes. Air Medal (AM), Purple Heart (PH). Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery. Born on the 23rd April 1920 in Youngstown, Ohio. Son of Charles and Laura Hopes of Hubbard, Trumbull, Ohio, USA.
Above: Wall of the missing for S/Sgt. Francis B. Jordan. (Courtesy of the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC))
S/Sgt. Francis B. Jordan. Air Medal (AM), Purple Heart (PH). Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery. Born on the 13th March 1920 in Fort Lewis, Washington. He hailed from Jackson, California, USA. No further on-line information found.
S/Sgt. Sidney Kurtz. Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal (AM). Joint Grave, Section 1517, Grave 110 at the Raleigh National Cemetery, Raleigh, North Carolina. Born on the 22nd August 1911 in New York City, New York. Husband to Ruth (née Lipsky) Kurtz New York City, New York, USA.
S/Sgt. Robert Paul Tucker. Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal (AM). Joint Grave, Section 1517, Grave 110 at the Raleigh National Cemetery, Raleigh, North Carolina. Born on the 23rd November 1923 in Massillon, Stark, Ohio. Son of Lyman and Nell Tucker. Husband to Ruth Audrey (née Indorf) Tucker who died on the 17th February 1944 aged just 19 of a lingering illness in Massillon City Hospital, Ohio, USA.
Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the crew and their families (Jan 2025)
Other sources listed below:
RS 06.01.2025 - Initial upload
RS 06.01.2025 - Initial upload
Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them. Franklin Delano Roosevelt
All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior permission.