Lt. Colonel Jose L. Holguin
USAAF, 5th Air Force, 43rd Bomb Group (43rd BG), 65th Bomb Squadron (65th BS)
Navigator B-17E "Naughty But Nice" 41-2430 and Rabaul Prisoner Of War (POW)

Background
Jose Luz Holguin was born February 1, 1921 in Santa Ana, California and grew up in Los Angeles. He graduated from Belmont High School class of 1940. On December 17, 1941 he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as an aviation cadet with serial number 19065910. After training as a navigator, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant with serial number O-728388 and sent overseas to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA).

Wartime History
Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 43rd Bombardment Group (43rd BG) "Ken's Men", 65th Bombardement Squadron (65th BS) as a B-17 Flying Fortress navigator flying bombing missions from 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby.


Mission History
On June 25, 1943 at 11:00pm took off as navigator aboard B-17E "Naughty But Nice" 41-2430 piloted by 1st Lt. William J. Sarsfield, Jr. and landed at Dobodura to refuel and load bombs and took off again just before midnight as one of three B-17s from 65th BS, six B-17s from 65th BS and four B-24D Liberators from 403rd BS flying individually on a night bombing mission against Vunakanau Airfield near Rabaul.

On June 26, 1943 arrived over the target area despite bad weather and thunderstorms. At approximately 3:00am successfully bombed Vunakanau Airfield and came under intense anti-aircraft fire but was not hit. After bombing, the crew observed 7-9 parked planes burning. Afterwards, this bomber loitered over the area for 30 minutes in an attempt to confuse enemy anti-aircraft and radar to allow other B-17s to complete their bombing.

Meanwhile, J1N1 Gekko (Irving) night fighter pilot Shigetoshi Kudo spotted this bomber and approached from lower altitude and used its oblique upward firing 20mm cannons to make three firing passes around 3:30am, 3:45am and 3:50am with each pass causing damage that resulted in the B-17 being shot down. In the first attack, Holguin was hit in the jaw and given first aid by bombardier Francis Peattie. During the second pass, Holguin was hit in his leg.

Holguin parachuted to safety and landed in the jungle of the Baining Mountains and sustained a severe wound in his jaw and back injuries. Without food or medical treatment for weeks, he crawled in the jungle until found by locals who took him to their village and attempted to nurse him back to health. Because of his severe injuries, the villagers decided to turn him over to the Japanese in hopes they would give him proper medical care.

POW at Rabaul
On July 17, 1943 Holguin became a Prisoner Of War (POW) and was detained at Rabaul Prisoner Compound (Rabaul POW Prison) guarded by the Japanese Army 6th Kempeitai. On March 2, 1944 moved to Tunnel Hill POW Camp (Cave Camp). During captivity, he received no medical attention and had a poor diet and suffered from neglect. By September 2, 1945 when Japan officially surrendered, Holguin was one of only seven Allied prisoners survived captivity at Rabaul.


Postwar
On September 7, 1945 Holguin and other Allied Prisoners Of War (POW) were embarked aboard HMAS Vendetta (D69) at Rabaul and transported to Jacquinot Bay and were admitted into the Australian Army 2/8th General Hospital for treatment.

On October 15, 1945 Holguin returned to the United States and remained in the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF). On September 18, 1947 became part of the U.S. Air Force (USAF). During 1948 he provided Testimonial about his experience as a Prisoner Of War (POW). Between 1950–1952 assigned to the 93rd Bomb Wing (93rd BW) in England. During 1955, he and his air crew won the Strategic Air Command (SAC) "best crew" during a competition at March AFB, an achievement reported in TIME Magazine, September 1955. He retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

After his military service, Holguin move to Los Angeles and worked as a teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School District. In the early 1970s he earned his master degree and had administrator positions, including assistant principal at a public school in Los Angeles and continued to work for L.A. City Schools until he retired.

Holguin Returns to Rabaul
As the sole survivor of his crew, Holguin made it his personal quest to find the remains of comrades who died in the crash of B-17E "Naughty But Nice" 41-2430. At his own expense, he made four trips to Rabaul to search for and relocate the crash site.

On his first trip in 1981, Holguin was accompanied by former pilot Hal Winfrey. Together, they met Brian Bennett who took them to Arumbum village in the Baining Mountains. There, they located Mrs. Inui, who tended to Holguin's wounds and helped nurse him.

On his second trip in 1982, Holguin joined Brian Bennett and Bruce Hoy (PNG Museum Curator) and returned to the Baining Mountains. With the help of an elderly villager from the area, they were led to the crash site on July 30, 1982. Brian Bennett located the first piece of wreckage, a supercharger, then the group found the rest of the wreckage and cockpit section nearby. On the side of the nose, the nose art and nickname "Naughty But Nice" were still clearly visible.

On his third or fourth in early 1984, Holguin returned to the crash site intent on salvaging the cockpit section. Placing lifting straps around the wreckage, it was lifted and flown back to Rabaul and later brought to the Kokopo Museum for display. Brian Bennett and his son Lenny Bennett spent a week cleaning the relic with cotton balls and applying a lacquer to remove growth and protect the original paint. Later, the nose art section was removed, and displayed separately from the cockpit area.

Also during the 1980s, Holguin located and reconciled with W. O. Matsumoto, his former Kempei-Tai (military police) prison guard at Rabaul in hopes hopes he might reveal more details about the execution and burial of American Prisoners Of War (POW).

Back in the United States, Holguin advocated for the remains of the crew to be recovered by U.S. Army CILHI. When identified, Holguin attended the memorials for Francis Peattie in Beacon, New York and Pace Payne in Texas. Holguin also had many meetings with Japanese veterans, including his former POW guard in hopes they might reveal more inforation about American remains. He was also active in the 43rd Bomb Group Association and organized a reunion for the group in in Anaheim, CA.

Memorials
Holguin died March 22, 1994 at age 73. He is buried at Fairhaven Memorial Park, Santa Ana, CA at AH.

Relatives
Curt Holguin (son) Curt Holguin maintain their father's friendships with the other members of the crew and those associated with B-17 "Naughty But Nice". During August 2006, Curt Holguin and his family visited Papua New Guinea and trekked to the "Naughty But Nice" crash site with the help of Brian Bennett and Justin Taylan, Pacific Wrecks

References
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Jose L. Holguin
Diary of Jose Holguin - June 25, 1943
"25 - Friday [June 25, 1943]
When I returned from the hospital, I was put on the alert to fly with another crew. I refused to fly with that crew because I did not have any confidence in the two pilots. I had flown with each of them before on previous mission as co-pilots. Their instrument flying was terrible and dangerous. I told Capt Cromey I would fly again when Winfrey got well. He asked me if I would fly with Trim [Trimingham] and I said yes. Trim will fly in Winfrey’s place as our co-pilot is a guy named Sarsfield. We are scheduled to take off for Rabaul at 2300."
Testimonial of Jose Holguin (1948) by Jose Holguin
TIME Magazine, September 1955 Strategic Air Command (SAC) "best crew" including Holguin
New York Times "5 Meet to celebrate surviving a death camp in the Pacific" by Ben A. Franklin August 15, 1982 section 1, page 1
FindAGrave - Jose L Holguin (photo, grave photos)
Hostages To Freedom (1995) by Peter Stone page 326 (Surviving Prisoners Of War - Seven Americans)
The Siege of Rabaul (1996) by Henry Sakaida page 94 (Rabaul's Military Prisoners - Holguin)
Fold3 - Jose L Holguin
Thanks to Curt Holguin for additional information

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