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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
5th Air Force
13.06.1943 65th Bombardment Squadron (H), B-17F “Georgia Peach” 41-24454, 1st Lt. John M. Woodard

Operation: Vunakanau Airfield, East New Britain

Date: 13th June 1943 (Sunday)

Unit No: 65th Bombardment Squadron (H), 43rd Bombardment Group (H), 5th Air Force

Type: B-17F Georgia Peach

Serial: 41-24454

Code: Unknown

Base: 7 Mile Drome (Jackson Drome), New Guinea

Location: NE of Ubili Airfield near Ulamona on the North coast of New Britain

Pilot: 1st Lt. John Milton Woodard O-725563 USAAF Age 24. KiA

Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Russell S. Emerick, DFC, O-793089 USAAF Age 25. KiA

Nav: 1st Lt. Philip Louis Bek, SSM, DFC, O-724280 USAAF Age 23. Murdered (1)

Bombardier: 2nd Lt. Jack King Wisener O-662327 USAAF Age 20. PoW * (2)

Engineer: Sgt. Leonard Jerome Skaar 17017955 USAAF Age 24. KiA

Gunner: S/Sgt. Stewart Dunbar Nisbet, SSM, DFC, 31053245 USAAF Age 23. KiA

Gunner: Cpl. Julius Hamershlag 32160683 USAAF Age 23. KiA

Gunner: S/Sgt. Maurice F. Sayer, SSM, DFC, 17038428 USAAF Age 21. KiA

Gunner: Sgt. Boyd Harland Parker 19004786 USAAF Age 27. KiA

Gunner: Sgt. Chris B. Cousino 15012471 USAAF Age 21. KiA

* Omori Headquarters PoW Camp (Ofuna) Tokyo, Japan

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the 13th June 1943 seven (7) aircraft from the squadron took-off from 7 Mile Drome (Jackson Drome), New Guinea and joined a force of 21 B-17s detailed on a mission to bomb the Japanese Vunakanau Airfield near Rabaul in New Britain.

After dropping its bombs Georgia Peach was coned by searchlights at 03:14 hrs and was then attacked from below by a Japanese night-fighter using its upward firing 20mm cannons which heavily damaged the bomber.

The ‘Georgia Peach’ was claimed by Senior Flight Petty Officer (Kaigun-Ittōheisō) KUDO Shigetoshi and his observer, Sub-Lt (Kaigun-chūi) SUGAWARA Akira flying a Nakajima J1N1-S Gekkō (Moonlight) at 03:26 hrs. (WW2db and C. Peter Chen).

The Japanese word Kaigun preceding a rank indicates that it relates to the Navy.

In the nose 2nd Lt. Wisener had removed his parachute and was attending to paperwork when the attack happened. He entered the cockpit and saw that both pilots and the top turret gunner were dead. The only other person still alive in the forward fuselage area was the Navigator 1st Lt. Bek.

2nd Lt. Wisener hurriedly clipped on his parachute and jumped out the nose hatch with 1st Lt. Bek following close behind. 1st Lt. Bek and 2nd Lt. Wisener were the only two (2) of the crew that were known to have baled out.

The aircraft crashed near the Japanese Ubili Airfield NE of Ulamona on the North coast of New Britain.

Today Ubili Airfield is an overgrown grass strip named Sule Airport

1st Lt. Bek and 2nd Lt. Wisener were taken to the Japanese Navy PoW camp at Rabaul. Two PoWs reported that on the 25th November 1943 eleven (11) Americans and one (1) Australian were taken from the camp. One of the Americans was named at 1st Lt. Bek and nothing more was seen or heard about him.

Above: 2nd Lt. Russell S. Emerick DFC, report missing (Courtesy of the Democrat and Chronicle, dated 20th June 1943)

Above: Cpl. Julius Hamershlag reported missing (Courtesy of the Brooklyn Eagle, dated 27th June 1943)

Above: S/Sgt. Maurice F. Sayer SS, DFC, reported missing (Courtesy of The Hastings Daily Tribune, dated 26th June 1943)

Above: Sgt. Chris B. Cousino reported missing (Courtesy of the Our Sunday Visitor, dated 25th July 1943)

(1) After the Japanese surrender an RAAF search party uncovered thirty (30) bodies from a Japanese Naval execution ground near the Matupi volcano, Rabaul. The majority of the bodies appear to have been executed by decapitation and in some cases the victims had been bound wire before being killed.

Four (4) of the Australians and three (3) Americans had been known to be in the hands of the Japanese Navy in Rabaul and had allegedly been sent away by ship. The other nine (9) identified RAAF airmen were not previously known to have been captured were from 20 Sqn PBY-5 Catalina A24-18.

The recovered remains of two (2) RAAF airmen were never identified as were the remains of nine (9) American servicemen and two (2) unidentified whose Nationality were unknown.

The four (4) Australian airmen were:

Sgt. David Stuart Brown 401489 RAAF who was the Pilot from 75 Sqn Kittyhawk A29-38 lost on operations on the 11th April 1942;

Fg Off. Ross Bryan O’Loghlen 400662 RAAF who was the Observer from 8 Sqn Beaufort A9-262 which was missing on operations over New Ireland/New Britain on the 4th December 1943;

Flt Lt. Geoffrey Hubert Vincent 400866 RAAF and WO. John Pretty Bailey 4240 RAAF who were respectively the Pilot and Observer from 8 Sqn Beaufort A9-244 which was reported missing on operations on the 21st October 1943.

The three Americans were from the USAAF, USNR and USN:

1st Lt. Philip L. Bek, Silver Star (SS), DFC O-724280 USAAF was the Navigator from this aircraft. 1st Lt. Bek was executed by the Japanese on the 31st December 1943 and he was declared dead on the 17th December 1945;

ENS. Philip Kirk Phillis O-251356 USNR and AAM2c. Paul Munroe Mannon 6603207 USN who were a 2nd Pilot and Gunner respectively from a VPB-52 "Black Cats" PBY-5A Catalina #8428 which was lost on the 20th November 1943.

The investigation team were of the opinion, in light of the discoveries that were made, that the total number of prisoners murdered at Matupi over the whole period must have been at least one hundred (100) and likely to be many more.

With one exception none of the Japanese directly responsible for the murders of Allied airmen in this area were brought to trial. These known criminals can be divided into various classes:

Died or killed in action before end of war;

Committed suicide to avoid arrest, e.g. Rear Admiral (Kaigun-shōshō) FUJITA who was responsible for the murder of Flt Lt. William Ellis Newton VC, 250748 RAAF and Rear Admiral (Kaigun-shōshō) KIYAMA who was responsible for some of the murders at RABAUL;

Because of the cunning with which the Japanese had covered their tracks sufficient evidence had not been obtained when investigations closed;

Criminals that were still alive and at large against whom sufficient evidence of guilt had been obtained.

(2) 2nd Lt. Wisener became a PoW and was transported to the Omori Headquarters PoW Camp (Ofuna) in Tokyo from where he was liberated. He was discharged from the USAAF as a 1st Lt. on the 13th May 1955. He was awarded the Air Medal (AM) (Oak Leaf Cluster) and the Purple Heart (PH).

Obituary for Jack King Wisener (Courtesy of the Irving Daily News, dated 21st March 1980).

Jack King Wisener was born on the 3rd October 1921 in Dallas, Texas. He passed away at the St. Paul Hospital in Dallas after suffering a Heart attack on the 20th March 1980. He was laid to rest at the Mount Hope Cemetery in Wells, Texas on the 10th April 1980.

Burial details:

The remains of 1st Lt. Woodard, 2nd Lt. Emerick, Sgt. Skaar, S/Sgt. Nisbet, Cpl. Hammershlag, S.Sgt. Sayer, Sgt. Parker and Sgt. Cousino were laid to rest in the group burial on the 15th February 1950 at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.

1st Lt. John Milton Woodard. Air Medal. Repatriated and laid to rest at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Group Burial Section 78, Site 991-992. Born on the 5th April 1919 in Burburnett, Wichita, Texas. Son of William Archer and Annie Mathews Woodard of Luling, Caldwell, Texas, USA.

2nd Lt. Russell S. Emerick. DFC, Air Medal (Oak Leaf Cluster). Repatriated and laid to rest at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Group Burial Section 78, Site 991-992. Born on the 15th November 1917 in Rochester, Monroe, New York. Son of Albert August and Cleo G. (née Martell) Emerick of Monroe, New York, USA.

Return of 1st Lt. Philip Louis Bek SS, DFC, (Courtesy of the Lansing State Journal, dated 30th November 1951)

Above: Grave marker for 1st Lt. Philip Louis Bek SS, DFC (Courtesy of David Anthony Taylor - FindAGrave)

1st Lt. Philip Louis Bek. Silver Star Medal (SSM), Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal (AM). Repatriated and laid to rest at the Riverside Catholic Cemetery, Kalamazoo, Michigan. Born on the 5th June 1920 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Son of Marinus Joseph and Edith Martha (née McHugh) Bek of Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.

Sgt. Leonard Jerome Skaar. Air Medal. Repatriated and laid to rest at the Evergreen Cemetery in Wykoff, Minnesota. Born on the 9th September 1917 in Wykoff, Minnesota. Son of Louis Berdinas and Josephine Skaar of Wykoff, Minnesota, USA.

S/Sgt. Stewart Dunbar Nisbet. Silver Star Medal (SSM), Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal (AM). Repatriated and laid to rest at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Group Burial Section 78, Site 991-992. Born on the 5th May 1920 in Glasgow, Scotland. Son of Stewart Dunbar and Isabella S. (née Gray) Nisbet of New Haven, Connecticut, USA.

Cpl. Julius Hamershlag. Air Medal (AM). Repatriated and laid to rest at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Group Burial Section 78, Site 991-992. Born on 4th July 1920 in Brooklyn, Kings, New York. Son of Simon and Mollie (née Feldman) Hamershlag of Brooklyn, Kings, New York, USA.

S/Sgt. Maurice F. Sayer. Silver Star Medal (SSM), Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). Repatriated and laid to rest at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Group Burial Section 78, Site 991-992. Son of George Henry and Mary Rose (née Houghnon) Sayer of Sappa, Harlan, Nebraska, USA.

Sgt. Boyd Harland Parker. Silver Star Medal (SSM), Purple Heart (PH). Repatriated and laid to rest at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Group Burial Section 78, Site 991-992. Born on the 27th September 1915 in Pope, Minnesota. Son of Raymond H. and Elizabeth Charlotte (née Swift) Parker of Roseburg, Oregon, USA.

Sgt. Christopher B. Cousino. Air Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters). Repatriated and laid to rest at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Group Burial Section 78, Site 991-992. Born on the 2nd November 1919 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Son of Domonic and Julia (née Bodette -Deceased in March 1923) Cousino of Toledo, Lucas, Ohio, USA.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the crew and their families (Dec 2024).

Other sources listed below:

RS 03.12.2024 - 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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