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| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
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| USAAF 7th AF 11th BG 98th BS   11th BG January 2, 1944  11th BG January 28, 1944  DR Spennemann 1996 |
Pilot 1st Lt. Roger Willis Morse, O-661537 (POW, executed February 3, 1944, MIA) San Francisco, CA Co-Pilot 1st Lt. Herbert Stanley Evans, O-727706 (POW, executed February 3, 1944, MIA) OR Navigator 2nd Lt. Robert H. Wirostek, 2045310 (POW, executed February 3, 1944, MIA) Multnomah, OR Bombardier 2nd Lt. William Fredric Carpen, O-661590 (POW, executed February 3, 1944, MIA) PA Engineer Sgt Marion Lewis Farmer, 15082302 (POW, executed February 3, 1944, MIA) IN Asst Engineer S/Sgt I. L. Stowe, 18009618 (POW, executed February 3, 1944, MIA) Hardin County, TX Radio T/Sgt John William Horman, 39178564 (POW, executed February 3, 1944, MIA) King County, WA Asst Radio Pvt Robert Paul McTwigan, 19083867 (POW, executed February 3, 1944, MIA) Plumas County, CA Gunner S/Sgt Paul Howard Van Buskirk, 11117149 (POW, executed February 3, 1944, MIA) Middlesex Cty, MA Gunner S/Sgt Henry R. Wyka, Jr., 12155281 (KIA, BR) New York, NY Ditched January 2, 1944 at 12:05am MACR 1629 Aircraft History Built by Consolidated in San Diego. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24D-145-CO Liberator serial number 42-41205. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field to the Central Pacific. Wartime History Assigned to the 7th Air Force (7th AF), 11th Bombardment Group (11th BG), 98th Bombardment Squadron (98th BS). Nicknamed "St. Quentin Quail". When lost, engines R-1830-65 serial numbers a) 42-87653 b) 42-88110 c) 42-88288 d) 42-87653. Armed with ten .50 caliber machine guns, serial numbers unknown. Also two .30 caliber machine guns serial numbers unknown. Mission History On January 2, 1944 one of seven B-24s that took off from Tarawa Airfield (Hawkins Field) piloted by Morse on a bombing mission against Taroa Airfield at Maloelap Atoll. The weather was rain with low clouds. After the bombing run, the formation was intercepted by twenty to thirty A6M Zeros. This bomber was damaged by gunfire and began to loose altitude and was escorted down by B-24J Liberator 42-73153 piloted by 2nd Lt. Alton O. McCleskey. At 12:05pm ditched off Jab'u Island in Arno Atoll near the beach in the south center of the lagoon. Afterwards, McCleskey's bomber dropped them emergency rations and observed six or seven crew members hauling equipment out of the bomber onto the beach. Meanwhile, crew aboard B-24J "Homesick Angel" 42-73153 took photographs of the crash site. Search On January 3, 1944 a PBY Catalina escorted by F6F Hellcats were sent to the crash site to search for the crew. Over the crash site, they circled the wreckage for two hours but saw no sign of life, other than many footsteps across the beach. It was believed the crew were taken prisoner as Japanese occupied Majuro Atoll was approximately ten miles to the west. On January 4, 1944 an plane was sent to destroy the ditched bomber, but was unsuccessful. On January 5, 1944 another aircraft attempted to destroy the bomber, but again failed. Later, a B-25G Mitchell was to attempt to destroy the bomber, but is unclear if it performed the mission or failed. Fates of the Crew Two of the crew Farmer and Wyka died during the interception or in the ditching. Their bodies were recovered by the rest of the survivors and were buried on Arno Island. On January 3, 1944 the eight of the surviving crew were housed and fed by local Marshallese on Arno Island until the Japanese arrived. On January 16, 1944 a Japanese patrol boat from Taroa Island arrived and captured the eight who became Prisoners Of War (POW). The eight were transported to Maloelap Atoll and detained until January 20, 1944. Afterwards, their fate is unknown and all were likely executed. All eight remain listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Wreckage This bomber ditched in the tidal zone off off Jab'u Island near a rock spur. The B-24 was partially submerged in 1 meter to 1.5 meters of water at low tide, roughly 30-40 meters from the present day high tide mark. Since 1944, small pieces of aluminum have been utilized by the Arno people as a resource for aluminum to manufacture coconut-grater blades, husking-stick points and other artifacts for daily use. In the late 1990s, the left wing, part of the right wing and center fuselage section plus the four engines remain at the crash site. Only one propeller was seen, although the others may well rest buried in the sand, somewhere to the rear of the plane, ripped off during the crash landing. The tip section of the port wing from the port No.2 engine onwards is snapped off and twisted backwards. The bottom of the lagoon shows a few isolated pieces of aluminum, among them the ring of the central Martin turret. No pieces of the pilots cockpit or the entire rear fuselage including rear ailerons could be located. Recovery of Remains Postwar, the remains of Farmer and Wyka were recovered and were transported to the United States for permanent burial. Memorials Farmer and Wyka were officially declared dead January 3, 1944. The other eight crew members were officially declared dead February 3, 1944. Morse was officially declared dead February 3, 1944. He earned the Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. Morse is memorialized at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing, court 7. Evans was officially declared dead February 3, 1944. He earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Evans is memorialized at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing, court 7. Wirostekwas officially declared dead February 3, 1944. He earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Wirostekwas is memorialized at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing, court 5. Carpen officially declared dead February 3, 1944. He earned the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously. Carpen is memorialized at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing, court 7. Farmer was officially declared dead January 3, 1944. He is buried at Crownland Cemetery in Noblesville, Indiana at section 18 lot 50. Stowe officially declared dead February 3, 1944. He earned the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously. Stowe is memorialized at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing, court 5. Horman officially declared dead February 3, 1944. He earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Horman is memorialized at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing, court 7. McTwigan officially declared dead February 3, 1944. He earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. McTwigan is memorialized at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing, court 7. Van Buskirk officially declared dead February 3, 1944. He earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Van Buskirk is memorialized at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing, court 5. Wyka was officially declared dead January 3, 1944. He is buried at Long Island National Cemetery at plot J, grave 14180. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Roger W. Morse NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Robert H. Wirostek NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - William F. Carpen NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Marion L. Farmer NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - I. L. Stowe NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - John W. Horman NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Robert Paul Mc Twigan NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Howard Van Buskirk NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Henry R. Wyka, Jr. USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24D-145-CO Liberator 42-41205 "41205 (11th BG, 98th BS) shot down by Japanese fighter and crashed at Arno Atoll, Marshall Islands Jan 3, 1944. MACR 1629. Some crew survived and became POW, but all 10 listed as KIA." Missing Air Crew Report 1629 (MACR 1629) NARA World War II Prisoners of War Data File does not list the eight crew who were prisoners American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Roger W. Morse American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Herbert S. Evans American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Robert H. Wirostek American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William F. Carpen American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - I. L. Stowe American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John W. Horman American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Robert P. McTwigan American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Paul H. Van Buskirk FindAGrave - 1Lt Roger W Morse (courts of the missing photo) FindAGrave - 1Lt Herbert S Evans (courts of the missing photo) FindAGrave - 2Lt Robert H Wirostek (courts of the missing photo) FindAGrave - 2Lt William F Carpen (courts of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Marion Farmer (grave photo) FindAGrave - SSgt I L Stowe (courts of the missing photo) FindAGrave - TSgt John W Horman (courts of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Pvt Robert P McTwigan (courts of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Sgt Paul H Van Buskirk (courts of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Henry R Wyka, Jr (photo, grave photo) Marshalls digital micronesia "Wreckage of a Consolidated B-24D "Liberator" off Jab'u, Arno Atoll" by Dirk H. R. Spennemann Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? 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 B-24  POW / MIA 8 Missing  Photo Archive  Map 1996  0–1.5m |
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