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  B-24J-185-CO Liberator Serial Number 44-40947  
USAAF
13th AF
5th BG
72nd BS

Pilot  2nd Lt. William A. Albert, Jr., O-759157 (MIA / KIA) Canada
Co-Pilot  2nd Lt. Dwane E. Lape, O-764350 (MIA / KIA) WA
Navigator  2nd Lt. Mason R. Schow, 2268475 (MIA / KIA) Jamestown, NY
Bombardier  2nd Lt. Kenneth P. Runde, O-762871 (MIA / KIA) Yonkers, NY
Engineer  TSgt Josie W. Ivey, 34782701 22nd BG, 2nd BS (MIA / KIA) Americus, GA
Asst Engineer  Sgt Warren F. McLaughlin, 36518525 (MIA / KIA) Detroit, MI
Radio  TSgt Donald N. Palmer, 12051780 (MIA / KIA) Elmira, NY
Asst Radio  SSgt Calvin S. Holland, 38346416 (MIA / KIA) Lelie Lake, TX
Gunner  SSgt Charles D. Worley, 35867512 (MIA / KIA) Columbus, OH
Gunner  SSgt Keith C. Bailes, 18217314 (MIA / KIA) Dallas, TX
Photographer  Pvt George H. Faust, 33303618 5th BG, HQ (MIA / KIA) Ginder, PA
MIA  October 24, 1944 at 12:16
MACR  10018

Aircraft History
Built by Consolidated at San Diego. Constructors Number 4883. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) B-24J-185-CO Liberator serial number 44-40947.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 13th Air Force (13th AF), 5th Bombardment Group (5th BG), 72nd Bombardment Squadron (72nd BS). No known nose art or nickname. When lost, engines R-1830-43 serial numbers BP-443890, BP-443436, BP-44463 and BP-444631. Weapon serial numbers noted in MACR 10018.

Mission History
On October 24, 1944 took off from Pitu Airfield (APO 719) on Morotai piloted by 2nd Lt. William A . Albert, Jr. on an armed search for enemy shipping off Borneo. The mission was to patrol from Cape Sempang, Mangayan down the northeast coast of Borneo to Brunei Bay, then back to Cape Sempang, Mangayan then down the northeast coast of Borneo to Hog Point and return to Morotai. After take off, nothing was ever heard from the bomber again.

It is unknown if this B-24 was lost due to bad weather, mechanical failure or enemy action. It was believed the crew might have bailed out or survived to be taken prisoner or aided by friendly natives. This B-24 was believed to be lost as a battle casualty at roughly Lat 0° 5' Long 122°. When this aircraft failed to return it was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA).

Search
A garbled radio message was received erroneously claiming the crew had bailed out at roughly Lat 0° 20' Long 122°. Afterwards, two B-24 Liberators from the 72nd Bombardment Squadron unsuccessfully searched for this bomber around the Togian Island Group. During the searches visibility was good. A B-24 type aircraft was found, badly burned. This aircraft proved to be already reported and investigated.

Memorials
The entire crew was officially declared dead on March 15, 1946. The entire is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing.

Albert earned the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously.

Lape earned the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Veterans Memorial at Riverview Heights Cemetery in Kennewick, WA.

Schow earned the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously.

Runde earned the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously.

Ivey earned the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously.

McLaughlin earned the Purple Heart, posthumously.

Palmer earned the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Riverside Cemetery in Rochester, NY at section T Lot 463.

Holland earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously.

Worley earned the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously.

Bailes earned the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously.

Faust earned the

Relatives
Bob (nephew of Josie W. Ivey)
"Josie and his wife (and I) were from Americus, GA, but they had been living in Florida before he enlisted, where he worked for Eastern Airlines.  He enlisted at age 34, and his wife returned to live with her mother in Americus while Josie was in the Army.

Interestingly, Josie’s Oak Leaf Cluster / Air Medal report mentions four specific battles that he participated Rabaul, Yap, Sorol, and Palau. Of those four, I have spent time on both Yap and on Palau multiple times on each, starting in 1969, but I had no idea my uncle had preceded me there (if at a higher altitude). I once conducted a trial in a (modern) building on Guam that was set directly on the old Harmon Field, where Josie’s brother (my uncle Carlton) serviced B-29s for the bombing of Tokyo.

Josie received the Air Medal with Oak-Leaf Cluster for an October 3 bombing raid to a the heavily defended Japanese oil refinery at Balikpapan, one of the longest daylight raids ever performed by a B-24, described as “extremely hazardous” That same letter points out that his mission on October 24 was over Japanese-held territory, that none of the crew members returned, and that none was reported by the Japanese as a prisoner of war. It also points out that Japan did not always report POWs. Then it notes that the Army had requested a special investigation overseas regarding 'the message allegedly written by one of Sergeant Ivey’s comrades on the wall of a prison in Java.'

In 1949, the Army send a report to Josie’s widow (since deceased), reporting a memorandum from the Navy, which described writings on the Kempi-Tai cells in Makassar that showed that many Americans had been confined there. The Japanese had endeavored to obliterate much of the writing, but one paragraph clearly showed that Sgt. Donald Palmer (radio operator on Josie’s plane) had been brought there. Others on the same B-24 crew who imprisoned there were Lt. Robert Mason Schow (Navigator), Pvt George H. Faust (Aerial Photographer) and “Sgt Major Albert” (believed to be 1st Lt. William A. Albert, Pilot). [Schow was transferred to a prison at Soerabaja, and a Dutch Marine copied a message that Schow wrote to his father on the prison wall there; it listed Donald Palmer, along with the names of several Australian soldiers, as being in the same cell. The report says that Australia initiated a separate investigation about them.

That is the extent of what we know. We do not know the results of any further investigation, but my aunt was told that none of the crew returned – even though, obviously, at least four of the eleven crew members survived and were imprisoned. In short, we – Josie’s family, the next generation – would like to know as much as we can about his service. Josie had no children, but he had two brothers also serving in the Pacific at the same time (both returned), and their children are interested in learning all they can. "

References
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Dwane E. Lape
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Mason R. Schow
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Kenneth P. Runde
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Josie W. Ivey
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Warren F. Mc Laughlin
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Donald N. Palmer
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Calvin S. Holland
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Charles D. Worley
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - George H. Faust
USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24J-185-CO Liberator 44-40947

"40947 (5th BG) lost Oct 24, 1944, South Pacific. MACR 10018"
Missing Air Crew Report 10018 (MACR 10018) created November 7, 1944
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William A . Albert, Jr.
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Dwane E. Lape
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Mason R. Schow
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Kenneth P. Runde
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Josie W. Ivey
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Warren F. McLaughlin
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Donald N. Palmer
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Calvin S. Holland
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Charles D. Worley
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Keith C. Bailes
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - George H. Faust
FindAGrave - 1Lt William A Albert, Jr (photo)
FindAGrave - 2Lt Dwane E Lape (tablets of the missing, memorial marker)
FindAGrave - 2Lt Mason R Schow (tablets of the missing)
FindAGrave - 2Lt Kenneth P Runde (tablets of the missing)
FindAGrave - TSgt Josie W Ivey (tablets of the missing)
FindAGrave - Sgt Warren F McLaughlin (tablets of the missing)
FindAGrave - Warren Francis McLaughlin (memorial marker photos)
FindAGrave - TSgt Donald N Palmer (tablets of the missing)
FindAGrave - Corp Donald A Palmer (memorial marker photo)
FindAGrave - SSgt Calvin S Holland (tablets of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - SSgt Charles D Worley (tablets of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - SSgt Keith C Bailes (tablets of the missing photo - date of death incorrectly listed as July 15, 1946)
FindAGrave - Pvt George H Faust (tablets of the missing)
Thanks to Bob (nephew of Josie W. Ivey) for additional information

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Last Updated
January 12, 2023

 

Tech Information
B-24

MIA
MIA
11 Missing
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