ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 166420
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| Date: | Wednesday 29 December 1943 |
| Time: | 00:01 |
| Type: |  Consolidated B-24J-1-O Liberator |
| Owner/operator: | 431st BSqn /11th BGp USAAF |
| Registration: | 42-73013 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 10 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Majuro Atoll -
 Marshall Islands
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Tarawa Airfeld (Hawkins) |
On 29 December 1943 the B-24J-1-CO 42-73013 "Baby Sandy 2" of 431st BS, 11th BG, 7th AF, USAAF, took off from Tarawa, the Gilberts, on a bombing mission against Taroa Airfield. The 431st Bomb Squadron was at this time still stationed in Funafuti, Tuvalu, because the base in Tarawa, captured by U.S. Marines in late November 1943 had not yet been fully operational at the time. However, the planes of the 11th Bomb Group were staged through Tarawa on the day of the crash. On the return leg the aircraft was scheduled to once again land in Tarawa for refuelling and then head back to Funafuti. The bombing mission encountered heavy clouds and intense fighter opposition over the target.
The 15 American bombers were reportedly attacked by over 30 Japanese aircraft. This bomber was damaged and fell behind the formation, even though flying at full power. Two other B-24s in its flight flew escort and helped defend it. The B-24 flew slower and lower, and had two A6M Zeros stay with it all the way to the Majuro Atoll, nearly 100 miles south of their base.
Pilot Osborne made a decision to ditch the aircraft on the reef, we presume that he felt the aircraft would not make it home, and the west end was 30 miles away from the Japanese forces on Majuro at the East end. Osborne made a "U" turn at Majuro and made a perfect landing on the inside edge of the west reef, between Majuro Island and Ajola Island.
The aircraft was intact and did not explode or catch fire. Immediately, the two zeros began to attack the downed aircraft, making strafing runs, which were driven off by the two escorting B-24’s. The two escorts then had to depart, as did the zeros. No sign of life was seen by the B-24s, but presumed the crew was alive.
The crash landing was witnessed by two planes:
"At 0001Z [ local time, DHRS], 29 Dec 1943 I saw Lt Osborne make a crash landing on the reef in the northwest end of the lagoon of Majuro Atoll. The cause was the loss of two engines due to action by enemy aircraft in a bombing strike on Maloelap Atoll. As we left Maloelap #2 engine was hit and began throwing oil badly. A short time later #3 engine was hit and began smoking badly. It was then that Lt. Osborne left the squadron formation and headed for Majuro losing altitude all the time and indicating a speed of about 135 mph. We followed him down and watched him land. On the letdown #2 engine was feathered. He made a perfect landing but came to stop in about 100 feet. He was about a quarter mile out from a small island in water about 4-6 feet deep. Two Zeroes followed him down and one Zero made a pass at the plane in the water before we could chase him off. We passed the plane immediately after it stopped and could not see anyone getting out. The plane was not broken up and rested high in the water, most of the plane being visible. Due lack of ammunition and danger to our own airplane, we were not able to remain in the area." (Harvey T. Lundy, 2nd Lt Air Corps).
Upon leaving Majuro airspace a radio report on the crash landing was given, followed by a more detailed account upon return to the base in Tarawa, en route back to Funafuti. It appears from the limited data available, that the U.S. Navy promised to immediately sent a "dumbo" plane, a PBY Catalina Flying Boat to investigate and potentially rescue the crew, but failed to do so. A dumbo plane was finally dispatched on 2 January 1944, five days after the crash, to reconnoiter Majuro Atoll and to search for at the crashed plane. The mission report of that plane reads as follows:
"The plane arrived at the northwestern section of Majuro Atoll and found the B-24 as reported, lying on the reef about midway between the two islands which were about 400 yards apart. The plane was broken in two just off the trailing edge of the wing and was awash. The remaining 500lb bomb was dropped but fell about 25 yards short of the target. Several strafing runs were made and a total of about 430.50 cal and 200.30 cal ammunition fired."
The action to bomb the plane was taken in order to deny the enemy the use of the plane, or its armament for intelligence purposes and apparently was standard practice.
A B-24 returning from a strike against Taroa on 10/11 January 1944 observed that "red and green flares were fired from the ground at Majuro." It is unclear whether any actions were initiated. by the VIIth Bomber Command. We can assume that the U.S. airmen were, at that time, still on Majuro, unless, of course, flares salvaged from the aircraft were fired off as a ruse to entice the B-24s to come lower.
The pilot and co-pilot died in the crash. The rest of the crew survived and were taken prisoner by the Japanese, and later executed.
Crew (MACR 1627):
Pilot 1st Lt. Ivan M. Osborne, O-662817 (KIA / BRN) CA
Co-Pilot 1st Lt. Raymond D. Cloyer, O-728059 (KIA / BRN) IL
Navigator 2nd Lt. Virgil A. Tramelli, O-2845295 (POW/KIA) MO
Bombardier 1st Lt. Maxie G. Deer Jr., O-728260 (POW/KIA) AL
Engineer T/Sgt Edward J. Bislew, 16047634 (POW / KIA) WI
Asst Eng Pvt Wilison F. Rumsey, 20275475 (POW / KIA) NY
Radio TSgt Joseph J. Perry, 32162027 (POW / KIA) PA
Asst Radio S/Sgt. John J. Dell, 33261245 (POW / KIA) PA
Gunner S/Sgt Warren C. Hill, 13029683 (POW / KIA) PA
Gunner S/Sgt. Hulbert J. Swain, 35400152 (POW / KIA)
Matt Holly adds:
"The story now has an old version, a middle version, and my new one. The old version was created by Dirk Spennemann. It is incorrect. The middle story is what I produced for the National Park Service in 2000, which basically explained the Japanese had some float planes at the East end of Majuro that day, and possibly forced them to not try a rescue. Also found was the Navy also lost a PB4Y on the same day and was also searching for it. In any case a search was made and no signs of life were seen at the aircraft, which was then bombed to avoid its assets or technology from falling into enemy hands. The bombs missed. All ten crew were presumed captured and executed.
The crew reportedly escaped and fled to a small island to the northeast, where they were captured the next day. The zeros had reported the crash landing and a boat was immediately sent from Maloelap. (The boat was named the Kaikou Maru, which I discovered sunk in Maloelap in 1981). This information also included a photo of the crew, taken on Maloelap, in which the aircrew still has on flight gear and is clean shaven. It was not a week later. The crew was reportedly paraded through the streets of Majuro, beaten and abused, including Marshallese who were forced to attend. I do not know if I believe this story, as I don’t think they were in Majuro long enough to do this. But this is a local story. A machine gun from the aircraft was found in Laura during Majuros capture. There were few Japanese here, and they transferred to Mili Atoll.
They were taken to Maloelap, and presumably treated well. They were reportedly attacked by Japanese pilots and crew, who had lost so of their buddies during the B-24 attacks. The Admiral reportedly gave them some of his whiskey and safe haven, and shipped them to Kwajalein the next day.
The Japanese Admiral, in his notes to the investigating war crimes investigators, states the words 8 survivors of the crash. The photo on Maloelap shows 8 aircrew, and Osborne and his co-pilot are missing. There is no other information, and people searching for the lost aircrew after Majuro was captured looked for but did not find any crew. It has been presumed that the aircrew was executed on Kwajalein shortly before the American invasion on February 1, 1944. This was always presumed to be all 10 aircrew, but I think only the surviving 8 were killed on Kwajalein.
About six months ago I was taking with some older Marshallese when showing them some of my US Navy war photos of the local population, trying to identify those in the pictures. Out of the blue this older woman asks me what about the 2 pilots buried at the end of Majuro? I nearly fell of my chair! Without prompting, I asked her to explain herself, as only I knew at this point that 2 were unaccounted for. She told me they were killed in the aircraft, and that the Marshalese near the end of Laura had found their bodies and buried them near the end of the island. They had done this secretly, and only a handful of people had known. The people asking the questions after the war never spoke to these people, and over the last few months I have 5 people still alive that may know the exact site. I think Osborne and Cloyer are buried on Majuro!"
Wreckage
The wreck of this B-24 remains ’in situ’ in 1-1.5m of water (at low tide) off Ajola Island, Majuro Atoll. Present are the port wing, most parts of the starboard wing, the central fuselage section between the wings, and four engines. A number of small parts can be found scattered around the area. All propellers can be seen in place except for those of the No. 1 engine, which has fallen off its mounting and is resting nose down in the sand. The blades of the propellers are not bent, indicating that the pilot could feather the engines before the crash landing.
Memorials
The crew was declared dead on February 4, 1946. Memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Hawaii Cemetery (Punchbowl).
Sources:
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-24/42-73013.html
http://marshall.csu.edu.au/Marshalls/html/essays/es-ww2-8.html
http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/b-24/42-73013/2000/majuro-b24-aerial.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majuro
http://travelingluck.com/Oceania/Marshall+Islands/Marshall+Islands+(general)/_2081066_Ajokwola.html#local_map
http://www.underwaterphotography.com/Dive-Sites/Dive-Site.aspx?ID=2826
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 20-May-2014 17:08 | gerard57 | Added |
| 28-Dec-2018 17:59 | Laurent Rizzotti | Updated [Operator, Location, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 13-Feb-2020 18:44 | Iwosh | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Operator] |
| 12-Apr-2020 16:29 | Reno Raines | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 06-Jun-2022 07:32 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
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