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| USN VB-101 Formally VP-51 Temporary Assigment VB-102 |
Pilot Lt(jg) John B. Haskett, O-106015 USNR (MIA / KIA) Alhambra, CA Crew Lt(jg) Kenneth R. Johnson, O-121454 USNR (MIA / KIA) MN Crew Ensign Duane L. Beaman, O-156373 USNR (MIA / KIA) CA Crew AMM2c Clarence C. Dodson, 3603777 USN (MIA / KIA) TX Crew AMM2c John H. Harr, 6221572 USNR (MIA / KIA) MI Crew AMM2c Alvin P. Harrow, 2073724 USN (MIA / KIA) Hartford County, CT Crew AMM2c Merle W. Hinshaw, 3288742 USN (MIA / KIA) Tulare, SD Crew AOM3c Henry F. Lohmeier, 6105801 USNR (MIA / KIA) Sutton, NB Crew ARM2c Lloyd R. Morgan, 3566308 USN (MIA / KIA) OK Crew AM2c Norman M. Ostroff, 4050403 USNR (MIA / KIA) Philadelphia, PA Crew ARM2c Eric B. Bolling, 4050403 USNR (MIA / KIA) PA Observer Lt. Donald H. Shiley, O-083362 USNR (MIA / KIA) IL MIA July 17, 1943 Aircraft History Built by Consolidated Aircraft Corporation at San Diego. Constructors Number 879. At the factory painted with olive drab upper surfaces and gray lower surfaces. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24D-15-CO Liberator serial number 41-24084. Assigned to the U.S. Navy (USN) as PB4Y-1 Liberator bureau number 31952. Wartime History Assigned to Patrol Squadron 51 (VP-51). Squadron number 51-P-9. This side number indicated it was the 9th aircraft from Patrol Wing 51. No known nickname or nose art. This bomber was not repainted into a Navy color scheme. Ferried from Barber's Point Airfield on Oahu then across the Pacific to the South Pacific (SOPAC). On February 1, 1943 redesignated Bombing Squadron 101 (VB-101). Mission History On July 17, 1943 at 1:28am took off from Carney Field on Guadalcanal piloted by Lt(jg) John B. Haskett armed with cluster bombs on a predawn bombing mission against Kahilli Airfield (Buin) on southern Bougainville. For this mission, this bomber was temporarily assigned to Bombing Squadron 102 (VB-102). Aboard was observer Lt. Donald H. Shiley who volunteered to fly the mission in hopes of experiencing combat even though he had already received orders to be transfered home. The formation included six PB4Y-1 Liberators including three from VB-101 and three from VB-102 (including this bomber). Inbound, one VB-102 bomber aborted the mission. Meanwhile, at 2:25am a pair of J1N1 Irvings night fighters from the 251 Kōkūtai took off from Ballale Airfield on a patrol mission over southern Bougainville and the Shortland Islands. Over Kahilli Airfield (Buin) the PB4Y-1s released their cluster bombs from 12,000'. Returning from the mission, the both VB-102 bombers were intercepted by night fighters. Intercepting, J1N1 Irving piloted by Okado with observer Satoru Ono sighted a "B-24" flying in the opposite direction and made three attack run against the bomber. At 3:47am the Irving crew observed it going down in flames then returned to base safely. During the interception, witnesses aboard another PB4Y in the formation reported seeing this bomber shot down in flames. When this bomber failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Search Afterwards, searches revealed no sign of this bomber or the crew. Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead on January 7, 1946. The entire crew is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Haskett earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Evergreen Cemetery in Republic, MO at section B, row 1, plot 9. Johnson earned Beaman earned Dodson earned Harr earned Harrow earned Hinshaw earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Oak Grove Cemetery, Detroit Lakes, MN. Lohmeier earned Morgan earned Ostroff earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Beverly National Cemetery in Beverly, NJ. Bolling earned Shiley earned He also has a memorial marker at Chapel Hill Gardens West in Oakbrook Terrac, IL at Rose Cross section with the epitaf "Our Son...Lost In Action". Relatives Jim Wright (nephew of Lloyd Morgan) "The south end of Bougainville was an area of much action in and around 1943 and could, I feel yield a number of MIA finds. My uncle is one of those missing. He was a radioman in a B-24 that was shot down July 17, 1943 while bombing Kahili Airfield. Lloyd Morgan was his name. No trace has ever been found. " References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24D-15-CO Liberator 41-24084 "24083 to Navy as PB4Y-1 31952." Navy Serial Number Search Results - PB4Y-1 Liberator 31952 "31952 (ex USAAF B-24D 41-24084, VB-102) shot down by enemy fighters Jul 17, 1943 South Pacific. 11 MIA" Diary of James Claire Nolan - July 17, 1943 (Saturday) "Six planes out on the night strike over Kahili last night (three of our ours in three of 102’s). One of 102’s planes were shot down in flames by a Jap night fighter off Buin. The first time I’ve ever heard of the B-24 going down in flames. (Also the first Jap night fighter success in this area.) The other crews that saw it, said they saw a stream of tracer, then a small fire, which slowly blossomed into a roaring mass of flames as the plane dove towards the harbor. The wreckage floated and burned for a short while in the water. That’s two for 102 in two weeks. They’re beginning to understand what we’ve been up against for the past six months." Kodochosho, 251 Kōkūtai, July 17, 1943 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John B. Haskett American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Kenneth R. Johnson American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Duane L. Beaman American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Clarence C. Dodson American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John H. Harr American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Alvin P. Harrow American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Merle W. Hinshaw American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Henry F. Lohmeier American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Lloyd R. Morgan American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Norman M. Ostroff American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Eric B. Bolling American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Donald H. Shiley FindAGrave - LtJG John B Haskett (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - John Beverly Haskett (memorial marker) FindAGrave - LtJG Kenneth R Johnson (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Ens Duane LeRoy Beaman (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - AMM2 Clarence Cash Dodson (photo, tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - AMM2 John Harrison Harr (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Alvin Prentice Harrow (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - AMM2 Merle W Hinshaw (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Merle W Hinshaw (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - AOM3 Henry F Lohmeier (news, tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Lloyd R. Morgan (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - AM2C Norman Maurice Ostroff (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrae - Norman Maurice Ostroff (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - ARM2 Eric B Bolling (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Lt Donald H Shiley (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Lieut Donald H. Shiley (memorial marker photo) We Flew Alone (2000) by Alan C. Carey 13-14 The Search That Never Was: The Untold Truth about the 1948-49 Search for World War II American Personnel Missing in Action in the South Pacific by J. L. Wright Thanks to Minoru Kamada for Japanese translation and Jim Sawruk for crew details and 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 February 15, 2023 |
 PB4Y-1 MIA 12 Missing |
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