|
 |
|
|
| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
| Chronology | Locations | Aircraft | Ships | Submit Info | How You Can Help | Donate |
|
| USN VB-102   John Harding 1969 |
Pilot Lt. Commander Bruce A. Van Voorhis (MIA / KIA) Aberdeen, WA Co-Pilot Lt(jg) Herschel A. Oehlert Jr. (MIA / KIA) Clarke County, IA Navigator Lt(jg) Jack Orville Traub (MIA / KIA) Pekin, IL Crew ACOM Charles D. Linzmeyer (MIA / KIA) Crew ACRM Johnny A. Renner (MIA / KIA) Erick, OK Crew AMM1 George Charles Stephens, 3166113 (MIA / KIA) SD Crew AOM2 Donald B. Clogston (MIA / KIA) Temecula, CA Crew AMM2 Charles A. Martinelli (MIA / KIA) Crew AMM2 Henry Ford Watson, 3824481 (MIA / KIA) CA Crew AMM3 Frederick C. Barker, Jr. (MIA / KIA) CA Crew ARM3 Richard W. Roscoe (MIA / KIA) MN Crashed July 6, 1943 Aircraft History Built by Built by Consolidated Aircraft Corporation at San Diego as a model 32. Constructors Number 1231. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24D-35-CO Liberator serial number 42-40154. Assigned to the U.S. Navy (USN) as PB4Y-1 Liberator bureau number 31992. Wartime History Assigned to Bombing Squadron 102 (VB-102). No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On July 6, 1943 at 4:20am took off from Carney Airfield (Bomber 2) on Guadalcanal piloted by Lt. Commander Bruce A. Van Voorhis on solo reconnaissance and bombing mission over Kapingamarangi (Greenwich) to report enemy movements. Van Voorhis volunteered for the mission spanning roughly 800 miles in each direction. After takeoff, there was no radio contact with the bomber. Over Kapingamarangi Lagoon, the bomber came under anti-aircraft fire and aerial opposition. Van Voorhis made six ground attacks on the base, attacking the radio station on Hare Island, and claimed one plane in the air shot down, and three seaplanes destroyed in the water. Likely caught by its own bomb blast or accurate anti-aircraft fire, the bomber crashed into the lagoon only 700 meters from the base, near the beach area it was attacking. The entire crew was killed in the crash. When this bomber failed to return after the estimated time of arrival, it was declared Missing In Action (MIA). Search Afterwards, a special search mission failed to find any trace of the bomber. Recovery of Remains Postwar, the crash site was investigated and the remains of the crew were recovered. Wreckage This bomber crashed into Kapingamarangi Lagoon. The wreckage remains underwater at a depth of 20-30' on the sandy sea floor. Hugh Reilly / MV Westward visited the site in 2007: "There were many large, identifiable pieces scattered over an area about the size of a basketball court in 20-30' of water. Presumably these scattered pieces were the result of a crash landing. An informed viewer should not have any difficulty confirming the type of aircraft. The locals described it as a U.S. aircraft; I recall also being told that the pilot/crew were captured & killed by the Japanese [according to locals]." Memorials Officially, the entire crew was declared dead the day of the mission. After the remains of the crew were recovered, they were permanently buried in the United States. On March 15, 1950 Barker, Linzmeyer, Martinelli, Oehlert, Renner and Van Voorhis were buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in a group burial at section 79 graves 279-281. Van Voorhis posthumously earned the Medal of Honor [read citation], the only U.S. Navy PB4Y-1 pilot during World War II. He also has a memorial marker at Arlington National Cemetery section MI site 86 added in 2014. Barker also has a memorial marker at Winters Cemetery in Winters, CA at section 1, lot 175, Barker plot. Stephens is buried at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) at Plot P Row 0 Grave 921. Watson is buried at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) at Plot P Row 0 Grave 544. Oehlert has a memorial marker at Woodburn Cemetery in Woodburn, Iowa at section 1, Row 3, Headstone 4. Traub is buried at Arlington National Cemetery at section 34, site 3546 on February 2, 1950. Roscoe is buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery at section C-4 site 7964. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24D-35-CO Liberator 42-40154 "42-40154 to USN as PB4Y-1 31992" Navy Serial Number Search Results - PB4Y-1 Liberator 31992 "31992 (ex USAAF B-24D 42-40154, VB-102) missing on patrol mission 7/6/1943, South Pacific. Lt Cmdr Bruce Avery Van Horrhis received the Medal of Honor for this mission." This Damn Navy - Diary of James Claire Noland - July 6, 1943 (Tuesday) "The skipper of VB-102, Van Voorhis, failed to return from patrol this evening. His intention to attack Kapingamarangi may have backfired on him. A damnfool and senseless stunt which cost the lives (apparently) of 10 good men." Arlington National Cemetery - ANC Explorer does not list Van Voorhis memorial marker Flickr Bruce Van Voorhis MOH (photo, Arlington National Cemetery memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - LCDR Bruce Avery Van Voorhis (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - LTJG Herschel Allen Oehlert, Jr (memorial marker, obituary) FindAGrave - LTJG Herschel Allen Oehlert, Jr (group burial photo) FindAGrave - Jack Orville Traub (photo, group burial photo) FindAGrave - Charles D Linzmeyer (group burial photo) FindAGrave - Johnny Austin Renner (group burial photo) FindAGrave - AMM1 George Charles Stephens (grave photo) FindAGrave - Donald Benjamin Clogston (grave photo) FindAGrave - Donald B. Clogston (memorial marker) FindAGrave - Charles A Martinelli (group burial photo) FindAGrave - AMM2 Henry Ford Watson (grave photo) FindAGrave - Frederick C Barker, Jr (group burial photo) FindAGrave - Frederick C Barker, Jr (memorial marker) FindAGrave - Richard W Roscoe (grave photo) The Honolulu Advertiser "Photos confirm story of WWII's unluckiest plane" August 1969 We Flew Alone (2000) covers this loss Thanks to Jim Sawruk and Minoru Kamada 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 January 27, 2024 |
 PB4Y-1  MIA 11 Missing Resolved  20-30'  Photo Archive  Medal of Honor |
| Discussion Forum | Daily Updates | Reviews | Museums | Interviews & Oral Histories |
|
