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| USN VF-33 |
Pilot Ensign James A. Warren, O-156661 (POW, died June 5, 1944, BNR) MI MIA December 23, 1943 at 1:15pm Pilot History Warren was credited with the first official Hellcat aerial victory in the South Pacific (SoPAC), claiming an enemy fighter on September 6, 1943 near the Shortland Islands. Aircraft History Built by Grumman as a model G-50 in Bethpage, New York. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as F6F-3 Hellcat bureau number 25801. Disassembled and shipped oversea to the South Pacific and reassembled. Wartime History Assigned to Fighting Squadron 33 (VF-33). No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On December 23, 1943 took off from Ondonga Airfield piloted by Ensign James A. Warren and landed at Torokina Airfield on Bougainville at 7:30am to refuel then took off again as one of fifteen Hellcats on a mission to escort B-24s on a bombing mission against Rabaul. Warren was leading the second element of three Hellcats over the target. Also escorting were Hellcats from VF-40 plus Corsairs from VMF-222. In a dogfight over Simpson Harbor, Warren became separated and was never seen again at roughly 1:15pm. Fate of the Pilot In fact, Warren was shot down over Kanga Bay [sic Kabanga Bay] and was captured by the Japanese and became a Prisoner Of War (POW) and taken to Rabaul. Detained at Rabaul Prisoner Compound (Rabaul POW Camp) by 6th Kempeitai (6th Kempei-Tai). On March 2, 1944, due to the Allied bombings, Allied Prisoners Of War (POWs) were trucked to Tunnel Hill POW Camp and detained in a single tunnel. On June 5, 1944 Warren died of neglect and starvation. Memorials Officially, Warren was listed as deceased on June 5, 1944. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Recovery of Remains Warren's remains were claimed to be discovered postwar and assigned unknown number X-144. But, the file states that the grave believed to have been Warren, when exhumed produced skeletal remains of a "kanaka" (native person) based on beetel nut juice staining of the teeth and the lack of any dental work. Henry Sakaida adds: "I had followed this sets of remains to the Punchbowl to grave P1004. I worked for five years to locate his remains. The Central Identification Lab plus the US Army Mortuary Affairs led me astray for five years. I followed the paper trail to the Hawaii Cemetery (Punchbowl) in Hawaii and through my research, documented the fact that the remains buried in the US soldiers' grave is that of a [New Britain] native! I'm in touch with Warrren's sister, Rose Mary Robbins in Texas. She was very appreciative of my search. Military policy stated that only American military personnel could be buried there. I provided proof that they had buried a native. No response. They don't want to deal with it!" Relatives Rose Mary Robbins (Sister) References Navy Serial Number Search Results - F6F-3 Hellcat 25801 AAIR - USN Overseas Aircraft Loss List December 1943 lists Warren as lost 12/24/43 incorrectly Aircraft Action Report VF-33 December 23, 1943 NARA Records of World War II Prisoners of War - James Arthur Warren American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - James A. Warren FindAGrave - Ens James A Warren (tablets of the missing) Thanks to Henry Sakaida 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 December 22, 2022 |
 F6F  POW / MIA 1 Missing |
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