2nd Lt. Alfred J. Hamwey
U.S. Army Air Force, 5th Air Force, Combat Replacement and Training Center

Background
Alfred J. Hamwey was born July 14, 1920 in Jacksonville, Florida to parents Frank A, Hamwey and Katherine C. (née Mahoney) Hamwey. He had one older brother, Leon Alex Hamwey born in January 19, 1917. He completed four year of high school. He was employed as a semiskilled mechanics or repairmen for motor vehicles. Hamwey was single without dependents.

Wartime History
On September 12, 1940 enlisted in the U.S. Army with serial number 14014070. Assigned to the regular Army, Philippine Department. Later, joined the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) and completed flight school, earned his wings and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant with serial number O-813891. While in service, he met and married Helen Sellers of Jackson, Mississippi.

Between December 20, 1943 until July 12, 1944 stationed at Avon Park in Florida. On May 6-22, 1944 hospitalized at Avon Park. For the next five days, he was in transit to his next posting. Between July 17, 1944 until October 21, 1944 stationed at Morris Field near Charlotte in North Carolina. on August 9-12, 1944 hospitalized at Morris Field. Later, sent overseas to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). On December 19-23, 1944 hospitalized at the 247th General Hospital.

During late 1944, assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), Far East Air Force - Combat Replacement and Training Center (FEAF-CRTC), 8th Service Group (8th SrvG), 7th Aerodrome Squadron (7 ADS) to the student detachment to fly combat missions in New Guinea before assignment to a Bombardment Squadron.

Mission History
On January 20, 1945 took off from Nadzab Airfield piloting A-20G Havoc 43-21622 on armed with napalm bombs as one of six A-20s on a strike mission against Cape Wom west of Wewak. This A-20 flying in the second element, number 2 position. The weather was ceiling and visibility unlimited (CAVU).

Over the target, the formation made two bombing runs dropping two napalm bombs each pass over Japanese positions near Cape Wom. At 9:55am this A-20 was last observed before the attack commenced and no distress call was heard over the VHF radio on channel B used during the mission. No enemy anti-aircraft fire was observed over the target nor was the crash seen by any plane in the formation. When this plane failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA).

Search
When this A-20 failed to join the formation, the second element returned to the target area at 2,000'. They observed a fire across the base of Cape Wom, but assumed it was from their bombing and saw no sign of a crash through the trees nor the inshore side of Muschu Island. Next, the formation climbed to 4,000' and saw no sign of a downed plane in the water, only an oily patch at the tip of Cape Wom, assumed to have been caused by one of the bombs. A radio call believed to be this aircraft and the second element turned back to base while searched the route along the way and passing over Faita. After returning to base, the radio call turned out to be from A-20 pilot Lt. Nave.

During the afternoon, two B-25s and two A-20s searched the entire in the vicinity of where the mission was conducted, without results. On January 21, 1945 five A-20s on a mission against Wewak also searched without results. On January 22, 1945 six A-20s searched the same area without results.

Wreckage
In fact, this A-20 crashed into a sago swamp on Cape Wom. The crash site was known to the local community since the war. The plane was partially submerged in shallow swamp water with the portions of the a wing, the main landing gear and tire and tail section above the surface plus other wreckage.

On October 26, 2014 locals guided Australian Steve Charles to the crash site who photographed the wreckage and reported the site to the U.S. authorities.

Recovery of Remains
The crash site was the subject of at least three visits by teams from Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA).

1) During July 2016, the crash site was visited by an investigation teams (IT) from Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA).

2) During May 2016, another team from an investigation teams (IT) from Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) visited the crash site and interviewed locals.

3) During September 2022 an Underwater Recovery Team from Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) conducted a 60 day mission at the crash site to recover remains, material evidence and life support items. The recovery work required diving in the shallow water and mud.

On October 14, 2022 a repatriation ceremony was held at Jackson Airport for two caskets of remains that were loaded aboard a U.S. Air Force (USAF) C-17 and flown to Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam (JBPHH) for forensic testing at the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) laboratory.

Hamwey was identified dental and anthropological analysis, material evidence, circumstantial evidence and mDNA analysis. On May 20, 2024 he was accounted-for by the Department of Defense (DoD).

Memorials
Hamwey earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. He was was officially declared dead on January 21, 1946. Hamwey is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. After his identification, a rosette was added next to his name to indicate he was accounted-for. On September 12, 2024 at 2:30pm Hamwey will be laid to rest at Jacksonville National Cemetery in Jacksonville, FL.

Relatives
Helen I. Sellers Cranford (widow, died 1998)
Frank A, Hamwey (father died 1930)
Katherine C. Hamwey (mother died 1947)
Leon A. Hamwey (brother died 2000)
Frank Hamwey (great nephew Alfred J. Hamwey)

References
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Alfred J. Hamwey
Pacific Wrecks - A-20G Havoc 43-21622
The Tampa Tribune "Tampan Is Among Floridians Now at Hendricks Field" October 29, 1943 page 17
The Tampa Tribune "Tampans Among Pilots Graduating From Hendricks" December 17, 1943 page 24
Missing Air Crew Report 13316 (MACR 13316) created January 21, 1945
PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - A-20G Havoc 43-21622
Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) - Alfred J. Hamwey
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Alfred J. Hamwey
"Alfred J. Hamwey were accounted for in 2024"
FindAGrave - 2Lt Alfred John Hamwey (photos, tablets of the missing)
DPAA Personnel Profile - 2d Lt Alfred J Hamwey
The National "60-day research ended, remains repatriated" October 17, 2022
"Two caskets containing the remains of United States soldiers who died during World War Two have been repatriated back home after a ceremony in Port Moresby on Friday. The ceremony was also held to mark the end of a 60-day long research, investigation and collection of remains of a 80-year-old US fighter plane which had crashed in a swamp in Wom, East Sepik during the war."
DPAA Press Release - Pilot Accounted for from WWII (Hamwey, A.) July 25, 2024
News4Jax "WWII pilot from Jacksonville, 24, accounted for 79 years after being killed in Papua New Guinea" July 26, 2024
The Florida Times-Union "'Never forget Al:' Remains of Jacksonville pilot killed in Pacific in 1945 are coming home" August 2, 2024
Quinn-Shalz Family Funeral Home "Alfred J. Hamwey" (obituary, funeral details, photos)
Thanks to Steve Charles and Rick Meier for additional information

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