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| USMC 1st MAW MAG-11 VMTB-233  VMTB-233 1943 |
Pilot 1st Lt.
Edward Albert Croker, O-14785 (POW executed February 21, 1944 / MIA, BNR) Eagle River, WI Gunner Cpl William Lloyd Casper, 383805 (MIA / KIA) Garfield. ID Radio Pfc Henry W. Schroeder, 447659 (MIA / KIA) Chicago, IL Crashed September 16, 1943 Aircraft History Built by Grumman in Bethpage, New York as a model G-40. Constructors Number 4578. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as TBF-1 Avenger Bureau Number 06452. Shipped overseas to the South Pacific (SOPAC). Wartime History Assigned to the United States Marine Corps (USMC), Marine Air Wing 1 (MAW-1), Marine Air Group 11 (MAG-11), Marine Torpedo Bombing Squadron 233 "Bulldogs/Rainbow" VMTB-233. Plane Number ?? (two digits). No known nickname, nose art. Mission History On September 16, 1943 at 12:28pm took off from Fighter One on Guadalcanal piloted by 1st Lt. Edward A. Croker as one of twelve Avengers from VMTB-233 on a bombing mission against Ballale Island. The weather was reported as good. The formation of twenty-four Avengers also included six Avengers from U.S. Navy (USN) Composite Squadron 30 (VC-30) and six from Composite Squadron 40 (VC-40). Each Avenger was armed with either four 500 pound bombs with an instantaneous fuse or a single 2,000 pound bomb with an instantaneous fuse. Over the target, the formation experienced moderate and accurate, heavy and light anti-aircraft fire. This Avenger was last seen on the bomb run over the target. Damaged, Croker successfully bailed out. The other two crew members Casper and Schroeder did not make it out of the aircraft. When this aircraft failed to return it was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA). Also lost was TBF Avenger 23909 (MIA). Fates of the Crew Croker was captured and became a Prisoner Of War (POW) and embarked aboard the Kokai Maru and transported to Rabaul. Detained at the Keibitai Headquarters (Rabaul Navy POW Compound) by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN), 81st Navy Guards Unit (81st Naval Garrison Unit). During January 1944, Croker and Major Gregory "Pappy" Boyington were cell mates. On February 21, 1944 Croker was removed from captivity and executed. His remains were never found and remains listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Memorials All three crew remain listed as Missing In Action (MIA). All three are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Croker was officially declared dead on February 21, 1944. He earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Croker also has a memorial marker at Saint Peters Catholic Cemetery in Eagle River, WI at block 1, lot 25. Casper was officially declared dead on January 10, 1946. He earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Casper also has a memorial marker at Rigby Pioneer Cemetery in Rigby, ID. Schroeder was officially declared dead on January 10, 1946. He earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Relatives Kurt Casper (nephew of Casper) adds: "My uncle, USMC William Lloyd Casper, was the plane's gunner. My uncle and the radio man did not make it out of the plane. The pilot, Lt. E A Croker, was able to bailout but was captured by the Japanese and later died in a prison camp." References Navy Serial Number Search Results - TBF-1 Avenger 06452 USN Overseas Aircraft Loss List September 1943 - TBF Avenger 06452 NARA TBF Operations Guadalcanal Intelligence Report - September 16, 1943 pages 105-107 (Page 105-106) "September 16, 1943 Strike Ballale... Another TBF, piloted by Lt. E. A. Croker of VMTB-233, is unaccounted for. No one saw this plane after the dive, and its fate is undetermined." (Page 107) "VMTB-233 - 06452 pilot Croker, radioman Schroeder, turret Casper, take off 1238, land ---" NARA "War Diary Strike Command July 26, 1943 - November 19, 1943 page 15 (Page 15) "September 16 [1943] - 30 SBDs and 24 TBF, proceeding via the Russells and picking up a fighter over of 73 F6Fs, F4Us and P40s at Munda, were over Ballale at 1450... Two TBFs are missing [including this aircraft]. Fighter cover shot down 7 Zekes and 4 Hamps, with 8 more probables. One F4U and four F6Fs were lost, but 3 of the pilots have been saved." USMC Casualty Card - Edward Albert Croker USMC Casualty Card - William Lloyd Casper USMC Casualty Card - Henry W. Schroeder NARA World War II Prisoners of War Data File - Edward A Croker American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Edward Albert Croker American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William Lloyd Casper American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Henry W. Schroeder FindAGrave - 1Lt Edward Albert Croker (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Edward Albert Croker (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - Corp William Lloyd Casper (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - CPL William Lloyd Casper (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - Henry William Schroeder (photo) FindAGrave - PFC Henry William Schroeder (photo) Navy Serial Number Search Results TBF-1 Avenger 06452 Black Sheep One page 314 [Crocker sic] Fold3 Edward Albert Croker (photo, documents) Fold3 William Casper (photos, documents) Thanks to Edward Rogers 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 June 9, 2024 |
 Avenger  Photo Archive  POW / MIA 1 Prisoner 3 Missing |
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