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| USAAF 5th AF 38th BG 405th BS     405th BS Aug 5, 1943  Peter Maynard 1986  Walt Brenner 1989   Rich Taylor 1997   Walt Deas 2001 |
Command
Pilot Major Williston M. Cox, O-426370 C. O. 405th BS (POW, survived) Knox County, TN Pilot Captain Robert L. Herry, O-421090 (POW, executed August 31, 1943, BR) TX Co-Pilot 2nd Lt Robert J. "Moose" Koscelnak, O-732556 (POW, executed August 31, 1943, BR) Orange, CA Navigator 1st Lt Louis J. Ritacco, O-660907 (POW, executed August 31, 1943) Port Chester, NY Engineer SSgt Raymond J. Zimmerman, 39304264 (MIA / KIA) Clackamas County, OR Radio T/Sgt Hugh W. Anderson, 38069521 (POW, executed August 31, 1943) Aspermont, TX Ditched August 5, 1943 MACR 16113 Aircraft History Built by North American Aviation (NAA). Constructors Number 87-8283. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-25D-5 Mitchell serial number 41-30118. Ferried overseas by pilot 2nd Lt. Charles D. George and his crew flying via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. Wartime History On April 17, 1943 assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 38th Bombardment Group (38th BG) "Sun Setters", 405th Bombardment Squadron (405th BS) "The Green Dragons". Assigned to pilot Captain Holland Legg with crew chief Marchebanks. Nicknamed "Elusive Lizzie". Later, renamed "Miss America", then both nicknames were then completely covered by the squadron's "Green Dragon" motif painted on the nose. On May 12, 1943 this B-25 flew its first combat mission as one of seven bombers on a strike against Finschafen Airfield. In total, this aircraft flew at least fifteen combat missions before lost on August 5, 1943. When lost, engine and weapon serial number were not noted in Missing Air Crew Report 16113 (MACR 16113). Mission History On August 5, 1943 at 8:00am took off from 17 Mile Drome (Durand) near Port Moresby piloted by Captain Robert L. Herry as one of one of twelve B-25s (Mission 216-D) to search for and destroy Japanese barge traffic north of Madang off the north coast of New Guinea. Also aboard as command pilot was Major Williston M. Cox, Commanding Officer (C. O.) 405th BS. The formation also included B-25 Mitchells from 71st Bombardment Squadron (71st BS) that were on a mission to target shipping off Alexishafen. The bombers rendezvoused with an escort of P-38 Lightnings over Mount Yule then proceeded to the north coast of New Guinea. Over the target, the bomber formation split into pairs and dove to minimum altitude and began bombing and strafing targets. They were met by intense anti-aircraft fire defending the area. Approaching Madang, this B-25 was hit by a shell in the right engine. Pilot Herry was able to control the damaged bomber and immediately ditched between the north coast and Wongat Island roughly three quarters of a mile north of Madang. The B-25 landed intact and remained afloat momentarily. Another B-25 in the formation photographed the ditched bomber before it sank. Another photograph from a distance shows of a column of smoke rising after the ditching. Tail gunner Zimmerman died in the landing. His body either went down with the plane or was lost at sea. He remains listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Fates of the Crew The rest of the crew survived the ditching with only minor injuries. The surviving crew swam to nearby Wongat Island. They were spotted by locals who used canoes to paddled out to the island and searched for and detained them. Ritacco climbed a tree and managed to climb a tree and evade capture for two days. Soon afterwards, a Japanese Army search party led by 1st Lt. Binsho Tejima, commander of a medical supply detachment in Madang arrived. To assert control, Lt. Tejima knocked over Cox and the crew were detained as Prisoners Of War (POW). While being escorted to the Kempeitai (Military Police) Headquarters at Amron passing Japanese beat each of the crew. Initially, Major Cox was separated from his crew and questioned alone. He refused to cooperate because there was no Japanese officer present and was struck in the face knocking out one of his teeth out while two others beat him. Afterwards, Cox was placed in captivity with the rest of his crew. For the next twelve days, at Amron, the crew were bound, handcuffed into two cells: Major Cox and Captain Herry in one with Lt. Koscelnak and SSgt Anderson in the other. The crew was interrogated and beaten on a daily basis. Each day, the prisoners were questioned about their unit, bomber, base and aircraft strength in New Guinea. Major Cox refused to answer these question, citing the Geneva convention and because he had attended pre-law at the University of Tennessee and was familiar with the rights of prisoners. The others were also questioned and refused to cooperate. On August 7, 1943 two days into their captivity a Japanese interpreter who spoke English arrived to question them further. Major Cox requested to be taken to the commanding officer of Madang but was told he was not available. He also requested food and water for his crew, which was provided. Meanwhile, Ritacco had managed to evade capture on Wongat Island. After several days without food and unable to swim, he surrendered to the Japanese and was taken to Amron. When Ritacco joined the rest of the crew, the Japanese demanded one of the natives beat Major Cox for not revealing Ritacco was hiding on the island. Around that same time, Cox witnessed Herry beaten with a bamboo pole 8-10 times for not answering questions. After five days of interrogations and beatings, the crew were neglected for two days and able to rest. On August 11, 1943 the sixth day of their captivity, the two senior officers Cox and Herry were told they would be taken to Rabaul. When they departed, other Japanese met them and took Herry back to Amron. Cox was marched from Amron to Alexishafen Airfield where he was tied to a palm tree and beaten on a regular basis by Japanese and locals for the next three days. He was given water but no food and remained for a total of five days. On August 17, 1943 placed on Japanese bomber that took off from Alexishafen Airfield and was flown to Rabaul where he was then embarked aboard a ship and transported to Japan. He was interned at Omori POW Camp and survived captivity until the end of the Pacific War. On August 31, 1943, the other four crew: Koscelnak, Ritacco and Anderson were blindfolded and escorted from Amron to a nearby execution ground. Each was bayoneted then beheaded. Afterwards, Owen Salvage, the sole survivor of B-25D 41-30221 was also executed. Lastly, Herry was tied between two posts and bayoneted to death. Afterwards, their bodies were buried in unmarked graves near Amron. Postwar, an affidavit by Japanese Army L/Cpl Yasukuni Tani, Kempeitai clerk at Amron states: “The actual execution was to be three prisoners by Kempei Tai and two by headquarters Sentry Guard Unit. However, 1st Lt. Matsumoto’s Kempei Tai members said, “We will execute the three prisoners for the revenge of the death of our comrade, Cpl Nakano. This Matsumoto’s Unit had a conflict several weeks ago at Kesa village, which is located at the head of the Ramu River. The three prisoners were blindfolded and escorted down the mountain to the execution ground by the Kempei Tai members and Sgt Major Kawawa, Cpl Ishikawa and S.Pvt Ozawa. After about 20 minutes had elapsed, Matsumoto’s Kempei Tai group came back and said, “The execution is over now, we will proceed back immediately” and walked towards Kempei Tai Headquarters." Recovery of Remains Postwar, New Guinea locals assisted American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) to locate and recover the remains of at least three individuals from graves at Amron. Their remains were reburied at Finschhafen Cemetery as unknown X-17 and unknown X-14. On March 15, 1948 dental charts for unknowns X-17 and X-14 compared favorably with those of Herry and Koscelneck, but awaited further medical evidence before making an identification. Later, these remains were positively identified as Herry and Koscelneck. After the identification of the remains of the crew, Koscelnak, Ritacco, Anderson and Herry were transported to the Philippines and United States for permanent burial. Wreckage On September 5, 1979 the B-25 was discovered by David Pennefather intact and upright on a sloping seafloor. The fuselage is at a depth of 60' / 18m. The left engine was torn off during the ditching. The wreck is covered by marine life including soft coral and sponges. Since discovery, this bomber has become a popular SCUBA diving attraction for anyone diving in Madang and is frequently dived. David Pennefather adds: "I was a keen diver and lived in Madang at that time. I was snorkeling off Wongat Island looking for a reported sunken aircraft said to have crashed there. After hours in the water, I dived down for the last time and there on the seabed lay the B-25. I returned to Madang grabbed some scuba gear and with another diver headed back to explore and photograph the aircraft. Within a few days of the discovery, vandals removed the side guns and other artifacts." The B-25 is fully intact except for the left engine which is missing (torn off during the ditching). The left wing tip is at 12-15 meters and the starboard wing is at 25 meters. The main body of the plane is at about 18 meters depth. The four machine guns are visible through the damaged nose section and ammunition hoppers visible. There is still a considerable number of .50 caliber rounds inside but they are cemented into place by sea life. Both cockpit hatches are open. Large sponges and fans cover the wreck. Memorials Zimmerman was officially declared dead the day of the mission. He is memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery. He remains listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Koscelnak, Ritacco and Anderson and Herry were officially declared dead on August 31, 1943 the day they were executed. Koscelnak was buried at Manila American Cemetery at plot C row 16 grave 59. Anderson was buried in 1950 in Aspermont Cemetery in Aspermont, TX at block N. Herry was buried buried in 1950 in Sunset Memorial Cemetery, today Guadalupe Valley Memorial Park in New Braunfels, TX. Ritacco was buried at Saint Marys Cemetery in Port Chester, NY at plot AA2-F2-6-9. Cox died January 4, 1980 at age 63. He is buried at Berry Highland Memorial Cemetery in Knoxville, TN at section 20. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Williston M. Cox NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Robert L. Herry NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Robert J. Koscelnak NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Louis J. Ritacco NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Raymond J. Zimmerman NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Hugh W. Anderson USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-25D-5 Mitchell 41-30118 Missing Air Crew Report 16113 (MACR 16113) created retroactively circa 1945-1946 NARA World War II Prisoners of War Data File - Williston M. Cox NARA World War II Prisoners of War Data File does not list Herry, Koscelnak, Ritacco or Anderson as official prisoners of the Japanese. This was not uncommon for prisoners captured in forward areas that were executed. FindAGrave - Williston Madison Cox (grave photo) FindAGrave - Robert Lee Herry (grave photo) FindAGrave - 1Lt Robert J Koscelnak FindAGrave - Lieut Louis James Ritacco (grave photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Raymond J. Zimmerman FindAGrave - SSgt Raymond J Zimmerman (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Hugh W. Anderson, Jr (photo, obituary, grave photo) Abilene Reporter News "Rites Monday for Aspermont Airman Executed by Japs" October 12, 1950 RAAF Status Card - B-25D Mitchell 41-30118 PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - B-25D Mitchell 41-30118 National Geographic April 1988 page 436 The Bomber Reef (2005) by Walt Deas tells the complete history of this aircraft, crew and wreck underwater. Death At Amron by Walt Deas Madang page 147 Sun Setters of the Southwest Pacific Area pages 156 (map), 179, 180 (photos), 181, 190, 579-580 (photo), appendixes AI-1, AII-4, AIII-15, AV-4, AV-12, AV-16, AV-32, index ix-3 Thanks to David Pennefather, Walt Deas, Larry Hickey for additional information Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated April 16, 2025
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