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| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
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| USAAF 10th AF 7th BG 9th BS |
Pilot Captain Bill Wright, O-725565 (POW died March 31, 1944 / MIA) Commerce, TX Co-Pilot 1st Lt. Merrill R. Parker, O-720160 (MIA / KIA, BNR December 1, 1943) Lima, OH Navigator 1st Lt. Roy A. Wentz, Jr., O-659938 (POW, survived) IL Bombardier 1st Lt. Raymond A. Maloney, O-726056 (POW, survived) Virgin, UT Engineer SSgt Clifford H. Bockman, 19075514 (POW, survived) Clarence, MO Radio SSgt Francis C. Winderl, 19019299 (MIA / KIA, BNR December 1, 1943) Richland, MT Asst Engineer SSgt Frank Rodriguez, 6578491 (POW, died August 27, 1944, BRN / MIA) CA Asst Radio SSgt Edward J. Girman, 35258994 (POW, MIA) Hammond, IN Gunner SSgt Alvin L. Hastings, 35357272 (POW, survived) Morgan County, IN Gunner SSgt Joseph B. Wells, 6934111 (POW, survived) Boone, IA Crashed December 1, 1943 MACR 1227 Aircraft History Built by Consolidated at San Diego. Constructors Number 2625. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24J-5-CO Liberator serial number 42-73055. Ferried overseas to India. Wartime History Assigned to the 10th Air Force (10th AF), 7th Bombardment Group (7th BG), 9th Bombardment Squadron (9th BS). No known nickname or nose art. When lost, engines R-1830-65 serial number 42-91183, 41-43411, 42-91628, 42-90944. Armed with .50 caliber machine guns makers unknown serial numbers 617862, 676679, 677902, 677008, 677114, 671612, 677867, 765085, 677633 and 671314. Also aboard the bomber were two Thompson sub-machine guns serial numbers S-356083 and S-182247 and a Springfield M1 rifle 1479070. Mission History On December 1, 1943 took off from Pandaveswar Airfield in India piloted by Captain Bill Wright on a bombing mission against Insein north of Rangoon in Burma (Myanmar). The weather was 6/10 cloud coverage with 2-5 miles of visibility. Over the target, this B-24 was shot down by enemy fighters 30km west of Ma-ubin in Burma. When this bomber failed to return, it was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA). Also lost is B-24J 42-73183 pilot 2nd Lt. George T. Elliott (MIA). Fates of the Crew Three of the crew died in the interception or crash: Parker, Winderl and Girman. Their bodies remained in the crashed bomber and all three remain listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Seven of the crew were captured by the Japanese and became Prisoners Of War (POW): Wright, Wentz, Maloney, Bockman, Rodriguez, Hastings and Wells. All were detained at Rangoon Prison in Rangoon. Bockman was detained in cell block 5, cell 23. Wright was reportedly "shot while attempting escape" on March 31, 1944 and was buried at Rangoon Central Prison at Rangoon. Postwar, his remains were recovered by AGRS (AGRS)/ On May 17, 1946 his remains were transported aboard C-47B Dakota 43-48308 on a flight from Rangoon Airfield bound for Calcutta and went Missing In Action (MIA). Rodriguez was officially declared dead August 27, 1944, but his remains were never recovered and remains listed as Missing In Action (MIA). At the end of the Pacific War, four of the crew were liberated from Rangoon Prison: Hastings, Wells, Wentz and Bockman and returned to the United States. Memorials Wright was officially declared dead on March 31, 1944. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) with Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously (not listed on ABMC). He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. He remains listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Parker died on December 1, 1943. He was officially declared dead February 4, 1946. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. He remains listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Wentz has an unknown burial, likely in his hometown in the United States. Maloney died July 12, 2004 at age 87. He is buried at Virgin Cemetery in Virgin, UT. Bockman died June 4, 1978 at age 61. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Air Medal. He is buried at Riverside Cemetery in Ione, WA. He also is memorialized on a memorial plaque in Pontiac, MI. Winderl died on December 1, 1943. He was officially declared dead February 4, 1946. He earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. He remains listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Rodriguez was officially declared dead August 27, 1944 as a prisoner. He earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. He remains listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Girman died on December 1, 1943. He was officially declared dead February 4, 1946. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. He remains listed as Missing In Action (MIA). He also has a memorial marker at Saint John-Saint Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Hammond, IN at Old St John, Sec. A, Blk 74. Hastings died January 16, 1965. He is buried at Hadley Friends Cemetery in Hadley, IN. Wells died January 14, 2005 at age 84. He is buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery at 1 FF 0 579. Relatives Rob Donaldson (nephew of Wright) "Our Uncle, Capt William "Bill" Wright from Commerce Texas, was a B-24 pilot with 7th BG 9th BS, operating out of the CBI Theater when they were shot down in December 1942. They became POW's at the Rangoon Jail, where he was killed in captivity. Supposedly his remains were recovered after the war, and in the process of being transported via C-47 43-48308 back to the US the plane crashed in the Burmese jungle." References Note, some sources list the pilot's name as William Wright. In fact, his given name was Bill. NARA - World War II Army Enlistment Records - Bill Wright NARA - World War II Army Enlistment Records - Merrill R. Parker NARA - World War II Army Enlistment Records - Roy A. Wentz, Jr. NARA - World War II Army Enlistment Records - Clifford H. Bockman NARA - World War II Army Enlistment Records - Edward J. Girman NARA - World War II Army Enlistment Records - Alvin L. Hastings USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24J-5-CO Liberator 42-73055 Missing Air Crew Report 1227 (MACR 1227) created December 2, 1943 NARA - World War II Prisoners of War Data File - Bill Wright American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Bill Wright FindAGrave - Capt Bill Wright (tablets of the missing photo) Honored Texans World War II Prisoners of War and Missing In Action (Bill Wright) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Merrill R. Parker FindAGrave - 1Lt Merrill Reyman Parker (photos, tablets of the missing photo) NARA Prisoners of War Data File - Roy A. Wentz NARA Prisoners of War Data File - Raymond A. Maloney FindAGrave - Raymond Alberg Maloney (photo, grave photo) NARA Prisoner of War Data File - Clifford H. Bockman FindAGrave - Clifford Henry Bockman (photo, grave photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Francis C. Winderl FindAGrave - SSgt Francis Clare Winderl (tablets of the missing photo) NARA Prisoner of War Data File - Frank Rodriguez American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Frank Rodriguez FindAGrave - SSgt Frank Rodriguez (tablets of the missing) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Edward J. Girman FindAGrave - SSgt Edward John Girman (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - SSGT Edward John Girman (memorial marker photo) NARA Prisoner of War Data File - Alvin L. Hastings FindAGrave - Alvin Leon “Pete” Hastings (grave photo) NARA Prisoner of War Data File - Joseph Wells FindAGrave - Joseph Briggs Wells (grave photo) The Daily Chronicle (De Kalb, Illinois) "Yanks Held In Rangoon Free" May 7, 1945 Pictorial History of the 7th Bombardment Group/Wing page 286 (Wells photo) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated January 2, 2026 |
 B-24  POW / MIA 10 Prisoner 5 Missing |
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