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| USAAF 20th AF XXI Bomber Command 4th ERS  USAAF 1945 |
Pilot 1st Lt. Edmund L. Eliason, O-415233 (KIA, BR) Ocean City, NJ Co-Pilot 2nd Lt Lawrence H. Chandler, Jr., O-839976 (KIA, BR) Newport News, VA Navigator 1st Lt Edwin E. Bodley, O-805246 (KIA, BR) E. Chicago, IL Radio SSgt David A. Kressler, 20301128 (KIA, BR) Clark's Summit, PA Radio Sgt Vernon R. Radmall, 39025623 (MIA / KIA) Lehi, UT Engineer Sgt Roger E. Regain, 38477693 (POW, survived) Mt. Pleasant, TX Medical Tech Cpl Philip W. Carter, 37193571 (KIA, BR) Ollie, Iowa Crashed August 13, 1945 at 5:30pm MACR 14969 Aircraft History Built by Canadian Vickers Limited in Montreal, Canada as the Model CL-1 a license built version of Consolidated Aircraft Corporation Model 28-5A. Constructors Number CV591. Delivered to the U. S. Navy (USN) as PBV-1A Catalina 68044. Assigned to the U. S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as OA-10A Catalina serial number 44-34080. Wartime History Assigned to the 20th Air Force (20th AF), XXI Bomber Command, 4th Emergency Rescue Squadron (4th ERS) on Iwo Jima. No known nickname or nose art. When lost, engine serial numbers: CP-360344 and CP-360347. Armed with .50 caliber machine guns, the makers and serial numbers were not listed on Missing Air Crew Report 14969 (MACR 14969). Mission History On August 13, 1945 took off from Motoyama No. 1 (Central Field) on Iwo Jima piloted by 1st Lt. Edmund L. Eliason on a "Dumbo" patrol mission escorted by two fighters. Radio call sign "Playmate 96". This OA-10 was radioed to investigate a downed aircraft and proceeded to the Uraga Channel near Tateyama. Likely it was sent to investigate the crash of an F6F Hellcat, possibly the loss of F6F Hellcat 79496 pilot Lt. Wilson L. Dozier or F6F Hellcat 77830 pilot Lt. Commander James H. McPherson who were both lost in this vicinity. Off Tateyama, intercepted by eight A6M5 Zeros from the 302 Kōkūtai based at Atsugi Airfield on a patrol mission over the Uraga Channel. Leading the attack, Lt. Morioka made a head-on attack, firing his 20mm cannons and causing black smoke from the left engine. His attack was followed by Kondo who opened fire and caused it to catch fire, then the three Zeros climbed to avoid any escorting fighters. Three pilots were credited with a shared victory were: Lt Yutaka Morioka, Lt(jg) Hiroshi Kondo and Lt(jg) Hidekuni Ono. Four other Zeros attacked the damaged Catalina before it crashed into the sea off Tateyama Seaplane Base. On the ground at nearby Yokosuka Airfield, the dogfight between the Zeros and the Catalina was witnessed by many observers on the ground, who admired the courage of the flying boat crew. Jim Sawruk adds: "This OA-10 may have been sent as a duplicate for "PLAYMATE 97" which had just completed a rescue of VT-87 crew from the USS Ticonderoga. OA-10A 44-34075 piloted 1st Lt Charles Oates and crew picked up Ens John Brega and his two aircrew from TBM Avenger 69066 right before this other OA-10 was shot down." Search Escorting fighters searched the area but only found wreckage and no survivors were spotted. Fates of the Crew Regain survived the crash and was rescued from Tokyo Bay by the Japanese. As a Prisoner Of War (POW), he was transported to Yokosuka and later Ofuna Camp at Yokohama. He survived captivity until the surrender of Japan and was returned to the United States. Recovery of Remains By September 12, 1945 Japanese fisherman discovered four bodies had washed ashore, along Nojima Cape (Cape Nojima, Nojima zaki) on the southern tip of the Bōsō Peninsula. Two were identified: Eliason and Bodley. The other two were noted as unknowns (X Files) but were later tentatively identified as Chandler and Carter. The bodies recovered were placed into wooden caskets by the Japanese and offerings made. Later, they were they were recovered by American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) from Tateyama and transported US Armed Forces Cemetery No. 1 at Yokohama. Memorials Postwar, the four recovered crew members were transported to the United States. Three of the crew were permanently buried at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl). Bodley at section C, site 338. Kressler at section F, site 1177. Carter at section P site 580. Radmall was officially declared dead the day of the mission and earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. He remains listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Radmall is memorialized at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing, court 7. He also has a memorial marker at Pleasant Grove City Cemetery in Pleasant Grove, UT. He has another memorial marker at Memory Grove Memorial in Salt Lake City, UT. Chandler is buried at Maplewood Cemetery, Durham, NC Section 4. Henry Sakaida adds: "About 20 years ago, my friend Yutaka Morioka asked me about a PBY [OA-10 44-34080] and a F6F that he and his comrades shot down in Tokyo Bay. Lt Morioka was a squadron leader in the 302 Kōkūtai at Atsugi Airfield. Morioka says they received an alert while flying over Uraga Channel. They turned north and found the PBY just taking off after the rescue." Relatives John Machado (grandson of Philip W. Carter) PBY Memorial Foundation - Guest-book posting by John Machado "My grandfather, Surgical Tech Corporal Philip W Carter, was part of the 4th ERS in Saipan and Iwo. His PBY was the last to go down in WWII (some think) on August 13, 1945. There was only one survivor. It was not him. His only child, my mother, was born 12 days later. His wife, Eleanor [Eloise Russon of Paterson, NJ] he married before going to the Pacific. He met her while training in New Jersey. Eleanor waited in New Jersey for his return with the intent of moving to his hometown in Iowa. She was 8 1/2 months pregnant when he was killed. Their only child, Barbara (my mother), was born 10 days after his death, but the family was not notified for a couple months I believe. I have all of my grandfather's things, flight manifests, personal items, etc." Kathryn Raub (granddaughter of Edwin E. Bodley) "I am the granddaughter of 1LT Bodley's sister, June. She is the only sibling still alive (Robert died about 5 yrs ago). I would love to have a copy of that crew picture! "Uncle Eddy", as we call him, was one of my childhood heroes". References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Lawrence H. Chandler, Jr. NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - David A. Kressler NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Vernon R. Radmall Navy Serial Number Search Results - Canadian Vickers PBV-1A Catalina 68044 "34080 went to the USAAF as OA-10A 44-34080" USAF Serial Number Search Results - Canadian Vickers OA-10A Catalina 44-34080 "34080 (MSN CV591) shot down in Tokyo Bay 8/13/1945. One crew member survived." Missing Air Crew Report 14969 (MACR 14969) created August 19, 1945 August 1945 USAAF Overseas Accident Reports does not list OA-10A Catalina 44-34080 NARA World War II Prisoners of War Data File does not list Roger E. Regain Individual Flight Record - Philip W. Carter, August 1945 via John Machado Last Dumbo Down by Lee Carey Atsugi Sentokitai Senki by Morioka Yutaka. Konnichi no Wadai, Vol. 85, October 1960, p. 20 [English translation by Minoru Kamada] "[Morioka] approaching at the flying boat he recognize it as a PBY and he commenced shooting his 20mm. Black smoke popped out from its left engine when his Zero passed over the target. He observed it very carefully and saw 7.7mm on its back still firing at me. I made a face to face attack on it. The PBY listed a little bit and made a left turn off of Tateyama Airfield. Lt(jg) Kondo chased after it and made another attack. The plane was suddenly enveloped in flare. I made three Zeros flew away from the contact and climbed up for watch Grummans that might attack on us. Underneath them, four Zekes were still chasing after the victim. The fire on the PBY grew bigger. After a rapid left turn, it crashed to the sea off of Tateyama Airfield. I saw the burning plane but he could not stop thinking the crew of this PBY was very courageous." FindAGrave - Lawrence H. Chandler, Jr (grave photo) FindAGrave - Edwin E. Bodley (grave photo) FindAGrave - David A. Kressler (grave photo) FindAGrave - Philip W Carter (grave photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Vernon R. Radmall FindAGrave - Sgt Vernon R Radmall (courts of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Sgt Vernon Reuben Radmall (memorial marker photo - Pleasant Grove City Cemetery) FindAGrave - Sgt Vernon R Radmall (memorial marker photo - Memory Grove Memorial) The Rescue of Ed Mikes (2020) by Henry Sakaida and Donna Mikes Musil Thanks to Henry Sakaida, Jim Sawruk, Minoru Kamada and Yoji 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
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