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 5th AF March 22, 1944    Justin Taylan 2003 |
Location Lat 3° 22' 0S Long 143° 33' 0E Saint John's Mission is located at Barakam (Bagaram) on Kairiru Island. To the south borders Kairiru Strait and beyond Muschu Island. Also known as St. John's Mission, Barakam, Bakaram or Bagaram or Kairiru Mission. Prewar and during the Pacific War located in the Territory of New Guinea. Today located in Wewak District of East Sepik Province in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Prewar The Roman Catholic church established Saint John's Mission (St. John's Mission) at this location, including a church, convent, church cemetery and a plantation of coconut palms for harvesting copra. Wartime History During December 1942, occupied by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) and occupied for the duration of the Pacific War. During the Japanese occupation, the St. John's Mission was used as the Navy headquarters on the island and also as the shore facilities for barges and small ships and the shore facilities for Kairiru Seaplane Base with floatplanes moored offshore in Kairiru Strait. Starting in early April 1943 until August 1944 Saint John's Mission was targeted by Allied bombers, fighters and later U.S. Navy (USN) PT Boats. On March 21, 1944 the Saint John's Mission area was subjected to bombing by B-24 Liberators and largely destroyed. Allied missions against Kairiru April 10 1943–August 27, 1944 Between early September 1943 until the middle of April 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) on Kairiru Island was responsible for the detention, interrogation, torture and execution of at least eleven Allied Prisoners Of War (POW) including nine American and two Australian at of Saint John's Mission. On September 5, 1943 the five crew of B-25D Mitchell 41-30319 ditched three days were executed at Saint John's Mission, beheaded by sword including: Pilot F/O John D. Blain, T-120110 (POW, MIA / KIA, BR) Breckenridge, TX Co-Pilot F/O Charles P. Wells, T-186489 (POW, MIA / KIA, BR) Ashland, KY Navigator SSgt William F. Green, 15104526 (POW, MIA / KIA, BNR) Whitehouse, OH Radio SSgt Robert J. Capocefalo, 32377421 (POW, MIA / KIA, BNR) Syracuse, NY Gunner SSgt Jack Bowman, 14063635 (POW, MIA / KIA, BNR) Johnson City, TN In the middle of October 1943, the entire crew of B-25D Mitchell 41-30561 were captured and detained on Kairiru. The two officers, Stookey and Evans were transported to Rabaul. The three enlisted men were executed on Kairiru: Engineer SSgt Ernest S. Roberts, 18069713 (POW, executed, MIA / BNR) CO Radio SSgt Max Gerstein, 35355778 (POW, executed, MIA / BNR) Indianapolis, IN Gunner SSgt Thomas H. Laird, 34444568 (POW, executed, MIA / BNR) Savannah, GA On May 31, 1944 a group of approximately thiry Japanese assembled to watch the execution of 2nd Lt. Robert E. Thorpe pilot P-47D Thunderbolt 42-22661. His last words were "What time is it?”" before he was beheaded by Hiroshi Odazawa using a sword. During the middle of April 1945, at least two Australian Army "Z Force" Commandos from "Operation Copper" were executed on Kairuru. Kairiru Seaplane Base Used by the Japanese Navy for F1M2 Petes until April 1944 Postwar Saint John's Mission was rebuilt as a Catholic Mission. Today Saint John's Mission remains in use today. Contribute
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