1st Lt. Terrence J. Carey
U.S. Army Air Force, 5th Air Force, 38th Bomb Group, 71st Bomb Squadron
Pilot B-25 "Battlin' Biffy" 41-29701 Prisoner Of War (POW) / Missing In Action (MIA)

Background
Terrence Joseph Carey was born in 1919 in Wisconsin. He attended three years of college and during 1941, resided in Cass County in North Dakota.

Wartime History
On May 29, 1941 enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC) as an aviation cadet with serial number 17025811. On June 20, 1941 became part of the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF). He attended flight school, earned his wings and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant with serial number O-433651. Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 38th Bombardment Group (38th BG) "Sun Setters", 71st Bombardment Squadron (71st BS) "The Wolf Pack" as a pilot.

Mission History
On October 5, 1942 at 7:00am took off from 14 Mile Drome (Schwimmer) near Port Moresby piloting B-25D "Battlin' Biffy" 41-29701 armed with 500 pound bombs along with B-25C "Tokyo Sleeper" 41-12905. Their mission was to fly a patrol to the north coast of New Guinea from Cape Waria to Oro Bay. Afterwards, the pair were to strafe and bomb the track and bridge at Wairopi and finally drop medical supplies to Australian Army troops near Sangai. P-39 Airacobras were to escort the bombers but they never rendezvous and the pair proceeded without them.

Outbound, the bombers reached the north coast of New Guinea and patrolled over the sea off Buna and spotted smoke from "two Japanese destroyers escorting a large transport and immediately went for the attack after radioing the position of the ships". In fact, the two destroyers were escorting Yamaura Maru.

Unseen, eighteen A6M2 Zeros from Tainan Kokutai (Tainan Air Group) and 3rd Kokutai (3rd Air Group) were escorting the convoy as top cover. This B-25 attempted to make a bomb run from 4,000' but was intercepted by six Zeros that began making firing passes from the rear. It is unknown if it released any bombs. The Japanese Zeros claimed one B-25 shot down (this aircraft) during the mission.

Last seen in a steep dive trying to escape and was never seen again. When this aircraft failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). In fact, this bomber crash near Uhita to the west of Popondetta inland from the north coast of New Guinea.

Fates of the Crew
Two of the crew survived the crash or managed to bail out. Both were executed by the Japanese or New Guinea natives. The other five crew likely died in the bomber or were killed on impact.

One of the survivors, believed to be Carey was led to Higaturu and beheaded by the Japanese or a New Guinea native named Parere. His remains were buried in a shallow grave.

After the Allies reoccupied the area, natives told the Australian authorities they visited the aircraft crash site and found two of the crew alive. Parere was apprehended, tried and executed by the Australian administration for the crime of murder of an Allied airman.

Recovery of Remains
After the Allied occupation of the area the wreckage of a burned out Allied plane (probably American) was discovered near Soroputa near Higaturu.

The captured Japanese diary of Kurazo Uchida a member of the Japanese Army, 15th Pioneers noted on October 5, 1942 that a twin enemy aircraft was "shot down 1,000 meters from our work area. Only one body [was found] others seem to be in the ground". Eight machine guns were recovered from the crash."

An isolated shallow grave was found containing a headless skeleton "in the vicinity of Soroputa" no personal belongings were found with the remains. Nearby, but not associated with the grave was Lt. Carey's officer identification bracelet. These remains were disinterred and designated unknown X-133 and temporarily in the USAF Cemetery Finschafen No. 2 (Finschafen Cemetery) at grave 3492. Although the remains were believed to be Lt. Carey, but were apparently lost by the US Army or accidentally buried as an unknown, as he is still listed as Missing In Action (MIA) today.

The fates of the remainder of the crew has never been determined. On June 29, 1949 they were officially declared non-recoverable. All are still listed as Missing In Action (MIA).

Memorials
Carey was officially declared dead on September 12, 1944. He earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Carey is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing.

Relatives
Kenneth J. Carey (brother Terrence J. Carey)

Paul Terence Carey (nephew of Terrence J. Carey)
"Terence John Carey was my fathers brother. You have provided more information on his destiny than we have seen, ever."

References
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Terrence J. Carey
NARA World War II Prisoners of War Data File does not list any of the crew as official POWs of the Japanese as they were captured in a forward area and executed.
Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) Terrence J. Carey
Missing Air Crew Report 15077 (MACR 15077) created retroactively circa 1945 or 1946
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Terrence J. Carey
FindAGrave - 1Lt Terrence J Carey (tablets of the missing photos)

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