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| USAAF 5th AF 38th BG 405th BS  USAAF 1943 |
Pilot Major Ralph Cheli, O-399830 C.O. 405th BS (POW executed March 4-5, 1944, BR) San Francisco, CA Co-Pilot F/O Don M. Yancey, T-186492 (MIA / KIA) TX Navigator 1st Lt Vincent A. Raney, O-437474 (MIA / KIA) OH Radio TSgt Raymond C. Warren, 15088088 (POW / MIA) WV Gunner SSgt Clinton H. Murphree, 6282173 (POW / MIA) Bryan County, OK Observer Captain John Holtham Hamon Massie NX42188, AIF (MIA / KIA) Bellevue Hill, NSW Ditched August 18, 1943 at approximately 9:15am MACR 16528 Aircraft History Built by North American Aviation (NAA). Constructors Number 87-8282. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-25D-5 Mitchell serial number 41-30117. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 38th Bombardment Group (38th BG), 405th Bombardment Squadron (405th BS). No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On August 18, 1943 at 6:30am took off from 17 Mile Drome (Durand) near Port Moresby piloted by Major Ralph Cheli leading a flight of nine B-25 Mitchells from the 405th Bombardment Squadron (405th BS) on their first low level strafer mission against Dagua Airfield to the west of Wewak. This bomber's call sign was KF24A. Aboard as an observer was Australian Army Captain H. H. Massie from 1st Australian Air Liaison Group. Over the target, this B-25 was intercepted by enemy fighters and set on fire. Despite this damage, Cheli continued to lead the formation to the target. Afterwards at approximately 9:15am he successfully ditched into the sea roughly a mile offshore from Dagua Airfield. For his actions this mission, Cheli later earned the Medal of Honor. Statement from Capt Okada Takakazu: "Aircraft [B-25D 41-30117] forced down on water near East But Aerodrome [Dagua Airfield] about 2 km out from the shore and opposite Dagua air strip. Plane blew up and sank." Fates of the Crew Two of the crew: Yancey and Massie were killed during the interception or died in the ditching and likely went down with the aircraft. They remain listed as Missing In Action (MIA). The other three crew: Cheli, Warren and Murphree survived the ditching and were captured by the Japanese Army and became Prisoners Of War (POW). The fates of Warren and Murphree are unknown, but presumed to have died of their wounds or were executed or otherwise died in captivity, possibly at Wewak POW Camp. Major Ralph Cheli was photographed by the Japanese and reported as captured in the Japanese press including a photo of him after being captured with Japanese Army soldier standing nearby. In the press, he was reported as "Major Cherry", a phonetic pronunciation of Cheli. At the time, he was the highest ranking American aviator captured at Wewak. Later, Cheli was transported to Rabaul and detained at the Rabaul POW Prison. During early March 1944 transported to Tunnell Hill POW Camp. On March 4, 1944 and March 5, 1944 one of the Allied POWs executed during the Talili Bay Massacre (Tunnel Hill Massacre) at Tanoura bordering Talili Bay. Afterwards, buried in a group burial. Towards the end of the Pacific War, to cover up the executions and war crimes, the Japanese claimed that approximately forty Allied prisoners were killed by Allied bombing during an air raid while at Talili Bay after being evacuated from Tunnel Hill. The Japanese rehearsed a story that the prisoners were killed in when a bomb scored a direct hit on their shelter. Their remains were exhumed, cremated and the ashes placed into a single box. Recovery of Remains In September 1945 when the Allies occupied the Rabaul area, they interrogated personnel from the 6th Kempei Tai who claimed the Allied prisoners who died during the Talili Bay Massacre (Tunnel Hill Massacre) were killed by an Allied bomb and turned over a box with their cremated remains. This was a lie to cover up their murder. Afterwards, the cremated ashes the Japanese claimed were those killed at Talili Bay were divided proportionally based on the number of victims (23 Americans and 5 Australians) with 3/4 of the ashes to the Americans and 1/4 of the ashes to the Australians. The American ashes were transported to the United States for permanent burial. Memorials Cheli was officially declared dead on March 6, 1944. After his remains were recovered, he was buried on March 21, 1950 at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in a group burial at section 78, site 931-934. A marker at section 78 site 930 below the group burial with a gold inlaid relief of the Congressional Medal of Honor and the inscription: "Ralph Cheli Medal of Honor Maj Army Air Forces World War II Mar 6 1944" Yancey was officially declared dead the day of the mission. He earned the Silver Star and Purple Heart, posthumously. Yancey is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Raney was officially declared dead the day of the mission. He earned Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously. Raney is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. He also has a memorial marker at Calvary Cemetery in Youngstown, OH. Warren was officially declared dead on December 3, 1945. He earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Warren is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Murphree was officially declared dead on December 3, 1945. He Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously. Murphree is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Massie was officially declared dead the day of the mission. He is memorialized at Lae War Cemetery on the Lae Memorial, panel 1. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Don M. Yancey NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Vincent A. Raney NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Raymond C. Warren NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Clinton H. Murphree WW2 Nominal Roll - John Massie, NX42188 USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-25D-5 Mitchell 41-30117 "30117 (405th BS, 38th BG) shot down by AAA over Dagua Aug 18, 1943. Crew KIA." Missing Air Crew Report 16528 (MACR 16528) created retroactively circa 1945-1946 NARA World War II Prisoners of War Data File - Ralph Cheli NARA World War II Prisoners of War Data File does not list Warren or Murphree was not uncommon for Allied prisoners captured in forward areas and were executed. American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Don M. Yancey American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Vincent A. Raney American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Raymond C. Warren American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Clinton H. Murphree CWGC - John Holtham Hamon Massie FindAGrave - MAJ Ralph Cheli (grave photo) FindAGrave - FltOff Don M. Yancey (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - 1Lt Vincent A Raney (photo, tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Lieut Vincent A Raney (memorial marker) FindAGrave - TSgt Raymond C Warren (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - SSgt Clinton H Murphree (tablets of the missing) ATIS 1146, 1259, 1451 AWM 479668 [War Crimes and Trials - Investigation of Atrocities:] Fate of Service Personnel - Report of Board of Inquiry - Subjects NX42138 Capt JH Massie; Major R Cheli; FO DM Yancey; 1st/Lt VA Ramey; F/Sgt RC Warren; S/Sgt CH Murphrce RAAF Court of inquiry reports that aircraft was seen to make a good landing. The board considers that Massie, Yancey and Raney were killed in action; Warren and Murphree were taken prisoner and later died of wounds. Cheli was taken prisoner and evacuated to Rabaul. PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - B-25D Mitchell 41-30117 Warpath Across the Pacific (1996) page 91 MacArthur's Eagles (2005) pages 71-72 The Siege of Rabaul (1996) by Henry Sakaida pages 19 (footnote 12 - Tunnel Hill Massacre), 93 (Rabaul's Military Prisoners - Cheli) 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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 B-25  MIA / POW 3 Prisoners 5 Missing  Medal of Honor Cheli |
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