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| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
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| USN USS Intrepid (CV-11) VT-18  Bent Prop 2005 |
Pilot Lt(jg) John J. Savage, 157494 USNR (POW, executed September 9, 1945, MIA) Gunner AOM2c Ora Sharninghouse, 7232273 USNR (MIA / KIA, BR) OH Radio ARM2c Albert "Bud" Rybarczyk, 6224029 USNR (MIA / KIA, BR) St. Joseph, MI Crashed September 8, 1944 Aircraft History Built by General Motors, Eastern Aircraft Division as model G-40. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as TBM-1C Avenger bureau number 16923. Wartime History Assigned to the USS Intrepid (CV-11) to Torpedo Squadron 18 (VT-18). No known nickname, nose art or squadron number. Mission History On September 8, 1944 took off from USS Intrepid (CV-11) piloted by Lt. John J. Savage armed with a single 2,000 pound bomb on bombing mission against against Japanese positions on Babelthuap Island in Palau. Over the target, this Avenger bombed an ammunition dump at Bokerugeru Point. After releasing their bomb, the explosion tore off the tail of this Avenger. Out of control, pilot Savage managed bail out before the aircraft crashed into the sea off Babelthuap Island. The other two crew members did not exit the aircraft and were killed in the crash. When this aircraft failed to return, it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Fates of the Crew Pilot Savage parachuted successfully and landed in the sea then swam ashore. He was captured by the Japanese and became a Prisoner Of War (POW) and immediately executed by beheading. He remains listed as Missing In Action (MIA). The other two crew members: Sharninghouse and Rybarczyk went down with the aircraft and were officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Search Other aircraft in the formation witnessed this Avenger crash and circled the area where it impacted but only saw hydraulic fluid and a deflated life raft floating on the surface. Wreckage The outer wing of this Avenger landed in a mangrove swamp in Aimeliik State at the southwest corner of Babelthuap Island. The rest of the aircraft crashed into the sea offshore. On March 5, 2005, Patrick Scannon / Bent Prop located the right outer wing with the U.S. star marking in the mangrove swamp but was unable to locate the rest of the aircraft. Later, a Palau resident remembered her father telling her about an airplane crashing into the sea and indicated the area to the team where the rest of the aircraft was later located. On March 14, 2014 Bent Prop and Project Recover including Eric Terrill and Mark Moline used an ROV to locate the wreckage of the Avenger underwater roughly 100' offshore at a depth of 100'. On March 31, 2014 a flag ceremony was held for the three crew and the site was reported to Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC). Recovery of Remains After the discovery of the Avenger, the remains of Sharninghouse and Rybarczyk were recovered and identified by Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA). On August 16, 2017 the Department of Defense (DoD) announce both were identified. Memorials All three crew members were officially declared dead on September 9, 1945. Savage earned the earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Sharninghouse earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. After his remains were identified, a rosette was added next to his name on Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. He also has a memorial marker at Weaver Cemetery in Bairdstown, OH. Rybarczyk earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. After his remains were identified, a rosette was added next to his name on Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. He also has a memorial marker at Resurrection Cemetery Saint Joseph, MI. Relatives Mary Ann Rybarczyk (sister of Rybarczyk) References Navy Serial Number Search Results - TBM-1C Avenger 16923 USN Overseas Aircraft Loss List September 1944 - TBM-1C Avenger 16923 NARA World War II Prisoners of War Data File does not list John J. Savage American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John J. Savage American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Ora H. Sharninghouse Jr. "The remains of Petty Officer Sharninghouse were accounted for in 2017" American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Albert P. Rybarczyk "The remains of Petty Officer Sharninghouse were accounted for in 2017" FindAGrave - LtJG John J Savage (photo, tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - AOM2 Ora H Sharninghouse, Jr (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Ora H. Sharninghouse, Jr (memorial marker) FindAGrave - ARM2 Albert P Rybarczyk (photo, tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Albert Peter Rybarczyk (memorial marker) News-Palladium article from Oct. 14, 1944 reported that Rybarczyk was missing in action and noted that he had been hoping to come home on leave after his long absence. DoD News Release "Navy Reserve Aviation Ordnanceman 2nd Class Ora H. Sharninghouse, killed during World War II, has now been accounted for" August 16, 2017 The Herald Palladium "Out of the depths Remains of WWII MIA coming home to St. Joseph" November 11, 2017 Thanks to Bent Prop, Patrick Scannon and Reid Joyce 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 February 22, 2024 |
 Avenger  POW / MIA 1 Prisoners 2 Missing  100' |
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