USAAF
5th AF
3rd BG
8th BS
Pilot Harlan L Reid, O-433398
Co-Pilot Captain Raymond A. Tabb
Gunner Sgt Ray E. Smith
Radio Cpl Robert L. Lemons (KIA)
Crashed June 21, 1943
Wartime History
Armed reconnaissance, between 0005 and 0530 hours, searching
for barge activity along the north coast of New Guinea between Buna and Saidor.
The Mitchell
ditched just north of Sio and although four of
the five crew got ashore, only the two were mentioned by the Japanese
and were made POWs at Madang.
Recovery of Remains
Remains of Lemons
were recovered and identified after the war. In February 1944
a Lt MacGregor of the Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit
(ANGAU) revealed that local natives reported the grave of an
American airman. They stated that they saw an American bomber
shot down at sea north of Sio, and that four crew members swam
ashore. On crossing the river north of Sio, one man drowned
and his body was washed out to sea. Two of the remaining three
were reported to have been taken to Madang, whilst the third
was reported to have been wounded in the groin and left knee
and later died. The grave of this soldier was found; remains
disinterred and temporarily buried as Unk X-1, Grave 50, USAF
Cemetery at Finschafen, No. 1, New Guinea. This person was subsequently
identified as Lemons.
The burial report for Lemons shows his place of death as Nabarowa village or Nabarewa (5.56 South, and 147.22 East). His remains were identified by the field by the laundry marking "R.L." on his flight jacket, physical characteristics and a dental comparison from his army records. His remains were returned to Ohio and interred in a private cemetery during July 1948.
War Crimes Investigations revealed that a number of American prisoners were executed in June 1943 at Amron. While it was possible that the surviving two men may have been among those executed, information available was considered insufficient to determine whether such was the case. Search and recovery activities failed to find any trace of Reid, Tabb and Smith and their remains were determined non-recoverable. These three men are memorialized at Manila Cemetery in the Philippines.
References
Thanks to Aerothentic Publications for historical details.
B-25
