Pilot  2nd Lt. Wellman Howard Huey, O-732254 (POW / MIA) Detroit, MI
Crashed  February 14, 1943 "Saint Valentines Day Massacre"

Pilot History
Born in 1922, he attended University of Michigan and Detroit Institute of Technology. He tried to enlist before the war, but was turned down for minor medical reasons. After Pearl Harbor, he was accepted to the USAAF.

Mission History
Took off from Fighter 2 (Kukum) on an escort mission for PB4Y Liberators atacking shipping in the Buin-Shortland area.

After the bomb run, the formation was intercepted. Engaged in combat from 10:00 - 13:00 local with A6M Zeros of the 204th Kokutai. In the ensuing battle Huey was shot down, with no one observing his loss. In fact, he successfully bailed out.

Henry Sakaida adds:
"Huey was shot down over a Japanese airfield and captured. They tied him up to a tree next to the HQ. Ohara and his comrades heard about the captured American when they landed, and they had plans to go over there and rough him up. When they met him, Ohara said he was a pleasant guy, intelligent and polite. So they conversed with him via an interpreter. He asked to be taken to Rabaul, and of course, he was. I don't think he was tortured while in custody at Bougainville. They simply kept him there until he could be forwarded to Rabaul, which was the main processing center for POWs in the area. I can't be certain of the date and circumstances, but Huey was executed with others at Rabaul. Ohara was the one who gave me the details via Jiro Yoshida."

POW & Execution
Huey was captured and Japanese pilot Nakazawa noted in his diary that he was very impressed with the young American's spirit. Also, that he was 22 and had attended the University of Michigan. Another pilot, Ryoji Ohara also remembered him. At dusk, after the mission he and other pilots went down to inspect & rough up the new POW, but instead were struck by his friendliness and no one bothered him. It is unclear what happened next, but he was likely shipped to Rabaul. It is unclear if he was executed, died as a POW or died in transit en-route to another location.

Truth Researched
Author Henry Sakaida researched the connection between Japanese pilot's memories and Huey. He helped Huey's brother to contact Ohara to thank him for sharing his memories, 46 years after his loss.

Memorials
Huey was declared dead on December 15, 1945. He is memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery.

Relatives
Dale Niesen (cousin) adds:
"I have a report that leads me to believe that Lt. Huey survived his captivity at Rabaul and was being transferred to another location. It appears that he is among those listed as being lost at sea on either the Kenyo Maru or Nippon Maru which were sank by American submarines on 14 January 1944. His name may be spelled “Willman Harward Hughie” on any list that may exist."

References
Pacific Air Combats WWII by Henry Sakaida, pages 40-43.
Thanks to Dale Niesen for additional information.
ABMC lists Huey as 1st Lt.

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P-38

POW / MIA