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| USMC MAW-1 MAG-32 VMB-611 "Black Seahorse"  USMC 1944 |
Pilot 1st Lt. Doit Leon Fish, O-25689 (MIA / KIA) Casey, IL Co-Pilot 1st Lt. Donald C. Sculati, O-27398 (MIA / KIA) Seattle, WA Passenger Capt Sigurd J. Simonson, O-19317 (MIA / KIA) WA Nav / Bomb SSgt Richard C. Vorel, 801893 (MIA / KIA) IL Radio / Waist Sgt Robert L. Harrison, 521053 (MIA / KIA) AZ Tail Gunner Cpl Walter G. Charboneau, 480649 (MIA / KIA) IL Radio / Waist Cpl Chester D. Luberda, 834000 (MIA / KIA) Sobieski, WI Turret Gunner Cpl John D. Rood, 513623 (MIA / KIA) Berwick, PA Crashed May 30, 1945 Aircraft History Built by North American Aviation (NAA). Constructors Number 108-34564. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-25J-1-NC Mitchell serial number 43-27551. Assigned U.S. Navy (USN) as PBJ-1J Mitchell bureau number 35243. Wartime History Assigned to U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) to Marine Air Wing 1 (MAW-1), Marine Air Group 32 (MAG-32), Marine Bombing Squadron 611 (VMB-611) "Black Seahorse". No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On May 30, 1945 took off piloted by 1st Lt. Doit Leon Fish on a strike mission against enemy installations on the Kibawe Trail area near Davao on Mindanao. When this aircraft failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Also lost was PBJ-1D Mitchell 35164 (MIA). Wreckage During 1956, the wreckage of this bomber was discovered near Carmen to the northeast of Davao. Recovery of Remains On November 16, 1956, a team from American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) led by an officer of the Philippine Command recovered remains from the crash site. The recovered remains were designated X-6029 PI and afterwards were reviewed by a board of officers. On May 23, 1957 the crew was identified and transported to the United States for burial. Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead the day of the mission. The entire crew earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. The entire crew is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. On July 15, 1957 the crew was buried in a group burial at Fort Logan National Cemetery at section N site 38. Rood also has a memorial marker at Pine Grove Cemetery in Berwick, PA. Relatives David L. Fish (son of pilot): "On or about 16 November 1956, the remains of Unknown X-6029 PI were recovered by a search team headed by an officer of the Philippine Command. The site of the recovery was near the village of Carmen in Davao Province, Mindanao, P.I., the area in which the aircraft concerned was last seen. After investigation, on 23 May 1957 a Board of Officers established that the recoverable remains were those of the above listed personnel. Since individual identification was impossible, it was necessary that a group burial be made. Group burial X-6029 PI consisting of one casket with the eight Marine remains was held at Fort Logan National Cemetery, Denver, CO on 15 July 1957." References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-25J-1-NC Mitchell 43-27551 "27551 to USN as PBJ-1J" Navy Serial Number Search Results - PBJ-1J Mitchell 35243 "35243 (VMB-611) MIA May 30, 1945, Mindanao, Philippines. 8 MIA. Aircraft was located in Nov 1956 and crew remains recovered." American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Doit L. Fish "remains were recovered" FindAGrave - Doit L. Fish (photo, group burial photo) Captain Doit L. Fish - Marine Bomber Squadron VMB 611 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Donald C. Sculati "remains were recovered" FindAGrave - 1LT Donald C. Sculati (group burial photos) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Sigurd J. Simonson "remains were recovered" FindAGrave - Sigurd J. Simonson American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Richard C. Vorel "remains were recovered" FindAGrave - Richard C. Vorel American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Robert L. Harrison "remains were recovered" FindAGrave - Robert L. Harrison American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Walter G. Charboneau "remains were recovered" FindAGrave - Walter G. Charboneau American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Chester D. Luberda "remains were recovered" FindAGrave - Chester D. Luberda (group burial photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC 4 ) - John D. Rood "remains were recovered" FindAGrave - John D. Rood (photo, group burial photo) FindAGrave - John DeWitt Rood (photo, memorial marker photo) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated July 29, 2023 |
 PBJ  MIA 8 Missing Resolved |
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