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| USAAF 5th AF 38th BG 405th BS  Blain 1942 |
Pilot F/O John D. Blain, T-120110 (POW executed September 5, 1943, BR) Breckenridge, TX Co-Pilot F/O Charles P. Wells, T-186489 (POW executed September 5, 1943, MIA / BNR) Ashland, KY Navigator S/Sgt William F. Green, 15104526 (POW executed September 5, 1943, MIA / BNR) Whitehouse, OH Radio S/Sgt Robert J. Capocefalo, 32377421 (POW executed September 5, 1943, MIA / BNR) Syracuse, NY Gunner S/Sgt Jack Bowman, 14063635 (POW executed September 5, 1943, MIA / BNR) Johnson City, TN Ditched September 2, 1943 at 9:56am MACR 13282 Aircraft History Built by North American Aviation (NAA). Constructors Number 87-8484. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-25D-10 Mitchell serial number 41-30319. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. Converted into a B-25D-1 strafer version by the 4th Air Depot at Garbutt Field. Wartime History During May 1943 assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 38th Bombardment Group (38th BG), 405th Bombardment Squadron (405th BS). No known nose art or nickname. When lost, engines R-2600-13 serial numbers unknown. Armed with .50 caliber machine guns, makers and serial numbers unknown. On June 5, 1943 this B-25 flew its first combat mission. In total, this bomber flew at least 23 bombing missions before it was lost. Mission History On September 2, 1943 at 7:00am took off from 17 Mile Drome (Durand) near Port Moresby piloted by F/O John D. Blain armed with two 1,000 pound bombs on a low level bombing and strafing mission (Strike 244-H) against Japanese shipping in Wewak Harbor off Wewak. The formation included nine B-25s from 405th Bombardment Squadron (405th BS) led by Captain Garrett Middlebrook was leading the mission followed by the 71st Bombardment Squadron (71st BS). The bombers flew north to Marilinan and circled for thirty minutes before rendezvousing with escorting P-38 Lightnings from 80th Fighter Squadron (80th FS) then proceeded up the Ramu Valley to Wewak. South of the Prince Alexander Range, the B-25s split into two plane elements for bombing and strafing runs. The weather had an undercast at 5,000' forcing them to fly low below the clouds as they approached. Over the target area, the 405th Bombardment Squadron (405th BS) approached Wewak from the south and descended to minimum altitude over Boram Airfield before reaching Wewak Harbor. Immediately, the formation was targeted by anti-aircraft fire from shore batteries and from Japanese vessels of the 7th Wewak Convoy inside Wewak Harbor. The larger ships had a barrage balloon roughly 10' in diameter tethered at 400' to deter low flying planes. Already airborne were thirty-six Japanese fighters misidentified as "Zeros" in fact, they were Type 1 Fighters / Ki-43 Oscars from 13th Hiko Sentai (13th Hiko Sentai), 24th Hiko Sentai (24th Flying Regiment), 59th Hiko Sentai (59th Flying Regiment) and Type 3 Fighter Hein / Ki-61 Tony from 68th Hiko Sentai (68th Flying Regiment). This B-25 was part of the last flight over the target, led by B-25D pilot 1st Lt. Anthony Deptula. Over the target, the pair attacked against a Fox Tare Charlie (Japanese merchant vessel 2,000-4,000 tons with 2-4 masts) between Mission Point and Cape Boram. This B-25 released both 1,000 pound bombs and claimed two direct hits on the vessel and causing it to emit black smoke and burning. Over the target, this B-25 suffered a direct hit from anti-aircraft fire in the right wing but continued their bomb run and was last observed with the right engine on fire and the bomb bay doors open and landing gear extended from the nacelles with flames in the fuselage before it crashed into the sea off Wewak Point and rapidly sank. Other B-25s in the formation believed there was little chance the crew could have survived. When this B-25 failed to return, it was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA). Also lost was B-25D 41-30255 (MIA) and B-25D 41-30247 (MIA) and P-38H 42-66563 (MIA). The Japanese lost four fighters shot down and two pilots killed in action (KIA). Fates of the Crew In fact, this B-25 ditched into Kairiru Strait between Kairiru Island and Muschu Island. The bomber reportedly ditched roughly ten yards (30' / 9.14m) from the southern coast of Kairiru Island between Karagur and Chagur villages. The entire crew survived and swam ashore and were captured by the Japanese on Kairiru Island and became Prisoners Of War (POW). After three days as Prisoners Of War (POW), on September 5, 1943 they were told to dig a hole at the cemetery at Saint John's Mission (Barakam). When completed in the afternoon, all five were beheaded and their bodies buried in the grave. The execution was observed by local people including Pregil, a native doctor boy. Recovery of Remains On December 11, 1947 a team from American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) FOD #2-A led by Lt. Austin C. Liguigan that recovered three remains from Kairiru Island. Afterwards, these remains were transported aboard U.S. Army cargo ship FS-344 to Manila. On April 16, 1948 buried at AGRS Mausoleum plot 810, row F, grave 1802. These remains were later designated as Unknowns (X-Files): X-3867, X-3868 and X-3969. Later, these remains were deemed to be "enemy dead" and disposed of. By June 5, 1950 these were no longer in the AGRS Mausoleum. On March 10, 1948 a team from American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) led by 1st Lt. L. S. Panopio with T/5 Joseph D. Murphy returned to Kairiru Island and dug a grave at Bakarum Mission Cemetery [sic Barakam Mission Cemetery / Saint John's Mission Cemetery]. They exhumed what was believed to be four sets of remains (or possibly five sets of remains) but found no identification tags or personal effects. They also recovered a comb and a remnant of a sock. These remains were deemed to be an air crew shot down that survived and were captured then beheaded at the mission cemetery. During April 1949, two sets of remains recovered by AGRS during 1948 were individually identified as Blain and Wells. Unknown X-4208 (X-File 4208) formerly S&R 2-A-73-53 was identified as Blain. Unknown X-4211 (X-File X-4211) was identified as Wells. Afterwards, their remains were transported to the United States for permanent burial. The other remains recovered in 1948 were compared to the three crew: Green, Capocefalo and Bowman. X-4209-A was compared to Bowman. X-4209-B was compared to Capocefalo. X-4210 was compared to Green. After comparison to available records, these remains were deemed to be at variance with physical and dental characteristics. Green, Capocefalo and Bowman were declared non-recoverable and remain listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Memorials Officially, the entire crew was officially declared dead the day of the mission. In fact, all five were executed on September 5, 1943. Blain is buried at Breckenridge Cemetery in Breckenridge, TX. Wells is buried at Golden Oaks Memorial Gardens in Ashland, KY at Williams Garden 1. Green earned the Silver Star and Purple Heart, posthumously. He remains listed as Missing In Action (MIA) and is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Capocefalo earned the Silver Star with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously. He remains listed as Missing In Action (MIA) and is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Bowman earned the Silver Star and Purple Heart, posthumously. He remains listed as Missing In Action (MIA) and is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - William F. Green NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Robert J. Capocefalo NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Jack Bowman USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-25D-10 Mitchell 41-30319 "30319 (405th BG) hit by AAA and ditched in Bismarck Sea near Wewak, New Guinea Sep 2, 1943. MACR 13282" Missing Air Crew Report 13282 (MACR 13282) created September 2, 1943 Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) - John D. Blain Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) - Jack Bowman NARA World War II Prisoners of War Data File does not list any of the crew as official prisoners of the Japanese, but this was not uncommon for Allied prisoners captured in New Guinea 38th Bombardment Group Official History pages 165-175, (167) "As The last flight came in for their run, the plane piloted by F/O Blain was shot down off Wewak Point by ack ack... It was after this attack that other planes noticed F/O Blain's plane - the right engine was burning, bomb-bay doors open and the landing gear was suspended from the nacelles - the plane crashed into the water off Wewak Point and there was very little chance for survivors." American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William F. Green American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Robert J. Capocefalo American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Jack Bowman FindAGrave - John D. Blain (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - Charles P. Wells (grave photos) FindAGrave - SSGT William Franklin Green (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - SSgt Robert J Capocefalo (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - SSgt Jack D. Bowman (tablets of the missing photo) PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - B-25D-1 Mitchell 41-30318 Tuluvu's Air War, Chapter 5 by Richard Dunn "The 5th Air Force struck both Wewak and Tuluvu on September 2nd [1943]…. The 7th Wewak Convoy did not fare so well. American bombers sank two of the five transports. The air battle was more even. Seventeen B-25s and forty P-38s attacked Wewak where they encountered thirty-six fighters from 13th, 24th, 59th, and 68th FRs. Three B-25s and two P-38s went down. The Japanese lost four fighters with two pilots killed." Sun Setters of the Southwest Pacific Area (2011) pages 206-214 (September 2, 1943), Appendix II, AII-5 (September 2, 1943, B-25D 41-30319), Appendix III, AIII-15 (41-30319), AV-21, AV-26, index ix-1 (Blain) Saga of the Sun Setters The Illustrated History of the 38th Bombardment Group During World War II Volume I: Prewar to September 1943 (unpublished) pages 158-164 (September 2, 1943) Thanks to Richard Dunn and Edward Rogers 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
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 B-25  Photo Archive  Map Sept 2 1943  POW / MIA 5 Prisoners 3 Missing |
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