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| USAAF 5th AF 3rd BG 89th BS |
Pilot Captain Donald E. "Buck" Good (survived) OR Gunner SSgt Joseph Fox, 18048416 89th BS (POW, executed March 30, 1943) Cuyahoga County, OH Photographer Pvt William M. Ramsey, 17034750 90th BS (MIA / KIA) Bates County, MO Ditched March 26, 1943 MACR none Aircraft History Built by Douglas Aircraft Company. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as A-20A Havoc serial number 40-170. Disassembled and shipped overseas to Australia and reassembled. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 3rd Bombardment Group (3rd BG), 89th Bombardment Squadron (89th BS). Nicknamed "Minnie Ha Ha". Later, renamed "Cleo III". Mission History On March 26, 1943 took off from Dobodura Airfield piloted by Captain Donald E. "Buck" Good on a strike mission. While attacking the secondary target, Salamaua, the right no. 2 engine was hit by anti-aircraft fire and caught fire. The heat became too intense and the two crew in the fuselage bailed out at 1,000' approximate two miles out to sea off the coast of New Guinea. Afterwards, two A-20s circled protectively over the two men until they departed due to low fuel. As they left, they could still see a man swimming towards shore. Although damaged, pilot Good was able to fly further to the south and successfully ditched in the vicinity of Labu, deployed the life raft and was able to paddle ashore. Fates of the Crew Pilot Good reached shore near Labu and was aided by a missionary. Afterwards, he was transported aboard a barge operated by the U.S. Army 41st Infantry Division and later returned to duty. Ramesey likely never made it to shore. He might have drown or otherwise died. He remains listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Fox reached shore and was captured by the Japanese and became a Prisoner Of War (POW). In September 1943, after the capture of Lae, a captured Japanese officer's diary was translated and revealed that at around March 26, 1943, an American airman swam ashore near Salamaua and was captured and became a Prisoner Of War (POW). He was taken to Lae to the 7th Naval Base Force, interrogated and later executed by sword and beheaded. Allied Intelligence concluded the airman was SSgt Joseph Fox. Japanese POW Naohei Okabe stated: "Sgt. Fox was captured by the Japanese on March 30, 1943 [Walolo] and taken to Lae. Natives named Nikkas and Kupay saw and heard of the interrogation. POW was handed over to 7th Naval Base Force." Memorials Fox was officially declared dead on December 17, 1945. He earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Fox is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Ramsey was officially declared dead on December 17, 1945. He earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Ramsey is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Good remained in the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and served in the Korean War and for his military service earned the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) with Oak Leaf Cluster. He retired with the rank of Colonel. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Joseph Fox NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - William M. Ramsey NARA Records of World War II Prisoners of War does not list Fox as an official prisoner of the Japanese, this was not uncommon for airmen captured in forward areas and executed USAF Serial Number Search Results - A-20A Havoc 40-170 "170 mission Mar 29, 1943" [sic March 26, 1943] American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Joseph Fox American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William M. Ramsey FindAGrave - SSgt Joseph Fox (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Pvt William M Ramsey (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Donald Edward Good (grave photo) Thanks to Edward Rogers for additional information Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated
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 A-20  MIA 1 Prisoner 2 Missing |
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