Operation: Rabaul & Gazelle Peninsular Patrol

Date: 5th December 1944 (Tuesday)

Unit No: Marine Fighting Sqn 222 (VMF-222), Marine Air Wing 1 (MAW-1), Marine Air Group 14 (Mag-14)

Type: FG-1A Corsair

Serial: #14417

Code: Unknown

Base: Nissan Airfield, Green Island

Location: East of the Vudal River inland from Atalikliken Bay, New Britain

Pilot: 1st Lt. Moszek ‘Mike’ or ‘Murrey’ Zanger O-25889 USMCR Age 24. PoW/Murdered

Above: 1st Lt. Moszek Zanger (Courtesy of the Military Yearbook, Pensacola, Florida, USN Air Training Centre - 1943)

REASON FOR LOSS:

Above: 1st Lt. Moszek Zanger standing by a Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3 “Yellow Peril” trainer at Pensacola, Florida, USN Air Training Centre (Courtesy of Together We Served and Fold 3)

On the 5th December 1944 1st Lt. Zanger took off from Nissan Airfield at 14:31 hrs and was leading the second section of a four (4) ship with 2nd Lt. T.G. Mooney flying on his wing on a patrol in the Rabaul area.

While in a left turn with second section crossing under the first section, a mid-air collision occurred between 1st Lt. Zanger and 2nd Lt. Albert Anthony Paulis, wingman to Maj. G. Geiger of the first section.  2nd Lt. Paulis was able to retain control of his plane and made it back to base safely.

1st Lt. Zanger's plane went into a violent spin with half of his Port wing torn off.  The collision occurred between 6,000 and 7,000 feet and 1st Lt. Zanger was seen to bale out between 3,000 to 4,000 feet apparently uninjured.  He was seen to alight in dense jungle about 350 feet east of the Vudal River and approximately (3) three miles inland from Atalikliken Bay. Searches of area were negative, although he was given a better than an even chance of returning safely.  However, he was posted Missing in Action.

• Approximately (3) three miles inland on the Vudal River on Atalikliken Bay is some 18 miles SW of Rabaul, New Britain.

The late author and researcher Henry Sakaida determined that 1st Lt. Zanger had been captured shortly after landing, transported across New Britain and detained at Tobera Airfield.

• Tobera Airfield (Rabaul Airfield Complex) was some 15 miles SSE of Rabual and about 3 miles due south of KoKopo inland of Blanche bay.

When word of his capture reached the Zero pilots at Rabaul, Chief Petty Officer (Kaigun-Jōtōheisō) IKEDA Yoshinobu and Petty Officer 1st Class (Kaigun-Ittōheisō) KAWATO Masajiro arrived to speak with him.  The exchanges were friendly and they found it difficult to imagine that he and his comrades were the cause of most of the misery inflicted upon the Japanese pilots. (Ref 1, p69).

A USMC Casualty Report 19th December 1945, Cas. No. 077083 falsely claimed that 1st Lt. Zanger had been shot whilst escaping.  A more fanciful story also had him stealing a sword climbing onto a roof and would not come down.  He was swinging the sword and no-one could get near him so he was shot.

However, Henry Sakaida, after having obtained a copy of 1st Lt. Zanger’s Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) found that he has suffered multiple fractures and broken bones with no apparent traces of having been shot.  He was of the opinion that 1st Lt. Zanger had been beaten to death and it was unlikely that after being held for 6 to 7 months that he would have been in any physical shape to effect an escape.

No records have been found that mention any investigation having been carried out to determine the circumstances leading to his death or who if anyone was responsible for his death.  Additionally, no explanation has been found as to why he was not sent to the Tunnel Hill PoW Camp where all of the other surviving Allied PoWs were being held.

BURIAL DETAILS:

1st Lt. Moszek Zanger - Home of Peace Memorial Park with his mother Fay Zanger (Courtesy of Together We Served and Fold 3)

1st Lt. Moszek ‘Mike’ or ‘Murrey’ Zanger. Purple Heart (PH), Air Medal (AM).  Recovered, repatriated and laid to rest at the Home of Peace Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California.  Born on the 7th March 1920 in Grodzisk, Poland.  Son of Hyman and Fay Zanger of Los Angeles, California, USA.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the relatives of this Pilot (11th Nov 2026).

Other sources listed below:

References:

1.         The Siege of Rabaul – Henry Sakaida – ISBN 1-883809-09-6