Memorial Day News Segment

After completing the interview for Live at 9, I was approached by reporter Candace McCowan and asked for an interview for the afternoon news.   I was surprised and excited to be able to receive coverage on both news venues.  Thanks to WREG – News Channel 3 for providing the opportunity to share our story once again.

To view this news segment and read the transcript, please click on the image below.

“Live at 9” Morning Show

On Monday, I had the pleasure of visiting the Peabody Place set of WREG News Channel 3’s morning talk show “Live at 9” for a sit-down interview with hosts Marybeth Conley and Alex Coleman.   They felt that the story about John and the C-47 #8308 was very appropriate to be shared on  the Memorial Day holiday.  I would like to thank the staff at WREG News Channel 3 for allowing me to appear as a guest on their show. 

To be honest, I was quite nervous about appearing on live television without a script to follow, but I was very pleased with how the interview turned out. 

To view video of the seven minute interview, please click on the image below.

Memorial Day News Segment

 Justin Hanson, reporter for Action News 5 in Memphis, provided excellent Memorial Day coverage of the story about Uncle John.  Justin, a Covington native, is a friend of the Kelley family.  He attended high school with Leslie and has known other members of the family since childhood. 

It was a pleasure to be able to work with Justin in the creation of the evening news segment.  We sincerely appreciate Justin going the extra mile to make this a special memory for the Kelley family.  We are very grateful for his time and attention to detail.    

Justin’s segment featured actual film footage of Lt. Kelley and the crash site discovered by Clayton Kuhles.  The video may be viewed by visiting the link to Action News 5 below.

Memorial Day Edition

After my phone interview with Steve Fogarty of The Chronicle-Telegram on Friday, I waited anxiously for today to come. I wondered if it would be a Memorial Day section in the paper or just something under local stories. I got up at 6:30 A.M. and was shocked and tearful to see that my Uncle John’s story was on the front page. I can’t explain the emotions that ran through me as I read it. I immediately headed out to buy lots of copies to send family and friends.

Steve’s father, who was also a Veteran, passed away last year. He really attached to our story and said that his problem would be condensing it. Only this man could have told this story with such heart and meaning. Our family will be forever grateful for doing such a great job in honoring our Uncle on this special day.

Thanks to Steve and The Chronicle-Telegram for a tremendous job.

-Sue Krall

Memorial Day Weekend

This morning I was pleasantly surprised to find that an article about Uncle John was proudly displayed on the front cover of The Commercial Appeal, the leading Memphis area newspaper. The author, Mike Lollar, did a phenomenal job of conveying John’s story. The love that our family has for John and the passion we share for preserving his memory evidently made a significant impact on Lollar. I appreciate his interest in our story and his willingness to share it with the Memphis area.

Tears swelled in my eyes as I read the quotes from my cousin, Annie Laura Jones. Her father, Bruce, was John’s oldest brother. Of all of the living Kelley cousins, Annie Laura probably remembers the most about John. She will always hold his memory fondly in her heart.

The Commercial Appeal features an online edition of the article here. They also posted a beautiful photo gallery featuring the photos that I shared with them. Click here to view the photo gallery.

While I enjoy the accessibility of the online edition, it’s just not the same as reading the article on newsprint. Copies of the article in print are featured below. I hope that you enjoy the article as much as our family has.

Thanks again to Mike Lollar and the Commercial Appeal for a splendid portrayal of our research and efforts to bring home 1st Lt. John C. Kelley and the rest of the men on C-47 #8308. 

Printable Version of The Commercial Appeal – May 30, 2010 (1)

Printable Version of The Commercial Appeal – May 30, 2010 (2)

The Leader, a local newspaper to the Covington, Tennessee area, contained a special “Memorial Day Tribute” insert in Thursday’s edition.  The front page of this section contained a heart warming article about hometown hero, 1st Lt. John C. Kelley.

The author of the article, Tiffany Holland, is the grand-niece of Lt. Kelley.  Her grandfather, Reese Kelley, was one of John’s older brothers.  It was a pleasure to share the story with Tiffany and to be rewarded with such a well written article.  I would like to give a special thanks to Tiffany for sharing this wonderful story with her readers.  We are very grateful.

Printable Version of The Leader – May 27, 2010 (pg 1)

Printable Version of The Leader – May 27, 2010 (pg 2)

After more than 63 years of being considered “unrecoverable” by many, the crash site of C-47 #43-48308 was discovered on November 5, 2009, by MIA recovery specialist Clayton Kuhles.  To view photographs and read Clayton’s report of the crash site, visit MIA Recoveries.  Be sure to read page 5 of the Official Report for details of the discovery. 

For our family, this was amazing news.  All of these years we have felt a void, not knowing where John’s body was.   Our family held a funeral/memorial service for John after learning of his death and placed a headstone on an empty grave; but just like that empty grave, there was still something missing.  There were still so many questions.  Our family, like so many others, had no closure.  While simply finding the plane does not provide closure in itself, it does bring us one step closer to it.  At least now we know where John’s body has laid for the last six decades. 

That day we found comfort knowing that men like Clayton Kuhles care enough about our lost loved ones to go to great lengths to find them so they can be brought home.  We found comfort knowing that the local people cared enough to bury our men and fence in the area so that it would be marked for future generations.  We found comfort in knowing that the locals held a memorial service for our men each year.  We found comfort knowing that even though our men were lost, they were not forgotten. 

The discovery of the C-47 has been reported to JPAC and DPMO, so now we must wait.  Wait until they can secure the area and send the proper military personnel to conduct an assessment of the area and determine the possibility of a recovery mission to the site.  This process is a lengthy one.  It may take years for JPAC to conduct the recovery of the crash site.  It is our hope that they may give this mission high priority in their recovery efforts since the crash site holds the remains of so many men.

It is our sincere hope that someday these men will be brought home.  It may take time and patience, but one day, God willing, they will return home. 

There is a short video shown on Clayton’s website that shows some highlights of the 2009 expedition.  Notice the 32 man armed escort that accompanied Clayton into the crash site of the C-47.  A full length video can be ordered from www.miarecoveries.org for a donation of $100. 

Walter Webb of Westwood, MA kindly provided Google Earth images of the crash site area (based on the coordinates Clayton Kuhles provided in his report).  

Crash site compared to normal route to Barrackpore, India 

Crash site in Tripura State, India from 132 miles altitude

© 2010 Leslie K. Roane
No information or photographs may be copied by any means
without the consent of the web site’s administrator.

Exhumed from Rangoon Cantonment Cemetery:
S/Sgt. Albert I. Malck (6942456) Died: 28 Nov 43
Sgt. Elias E. Gonzales (6570123) Died: 28 Nov 43
Sgt. Harold B. Cummings (6970825) Died: 28 Nov 43
1st Lt. Robert L. Kavanaugh (0-435791) Died: 22 Jun 43
T/Sgt. Edward R. Bodell (11031740) Died: 15 Jul 43
T/Sgt. Urvan A. Aubuchon (37183004) Died: 26 Nov 43
S/Sgt. Thomas S. Hopes (35305336) Died: 22 Nov 43
S/Sgt. Francis B. Jordan (19064268) Died: 27 Nov 43
1st Lt. John C. Kelley (0-726034) Died: 17 Dec 43
T/Sgt. Charles A. Pittard (39251123) Died: 8 Jun 44
F/O Gene Gambale (T-121948) Died: 3 Aug 44
1st Lt. James M. Grey (0-665192) Died: 12 Aug 44
Sgt. Norman E. Albinson (13176804) Died: 18 Aug 44
S/Sgt. Frank Rodriquez (6578491) Died: 27 Aug 44
Cpl. Julius F. Yackie (17072536) Died: 18 Aug 44
Capt. Wayne E. Westberg (0-732792) Died: 22 Aug 44
2nd Lt Everette E Briggs Jr (0-668189) Died: 28 Dec 44
S/Sgt. Jack R. Sheets (13067183) Died: 19 Nov 44
Sgt. J. Brown (Unknown) Died: unknown
Plus 13 bodies believed to be:
1st Lt. Joseph F. Zialavsky (0-664863) Died: 15 Jul 44
Capt. Hill Wright (0-725565) Died: 31 Mar 44
Capt. William R. Gilhousen (0-667062) Died: 16 Jul 44
1st Lt. Robert D. Drummy (0-815670) Died: 11 Jan 45
2nd Lt. Joseph C. Rich (0-739054) Died: 13 Sep 44
1st Lt. Burdett C. Goodrich (0-750504) Died: 27 Feb 45
2nd Lt. Burdette H. Baker (0-1698884) Died: 19 Nov 44
Capt. Armin J. Ortmeyer Jr (0-659326) Died: 13 Jan 45
1st Lt. Amil Baldman Jr (0-416094) Died: 11 Jul 44
1st Lt. Robert F. Angell (0-407635) Died: 15 Feb 44
1st Lt. Paul E. Almand (0-494774) Died: 27 Mar 45
2nd. Lt. Thomas P. Hogan (0-873571) Died: 20 Nov 43
1st Lt. Charles B. Listen (0-529445) Died: 5 Apr 44

Exhumed from Catholic Cemetery, Yandoon:
Lt. Col. Everett C. Plummer (0-300365) Died: 9 Dec 43

Exhumed from Maggion Cemetery, Burma:
G. R. Murphy (unkown) Died: 20 Jun 45

Plus 5 unknown remains exhumed near Inye Villiage

This aircraft was manned with a crew of three, including a pilot, check pilot and radio operator, all from 1304th AAF Base Unit, India Wing, Air Transport Command.  Also onboard were eight passengers, seven of which were American Graves Registration Service Personnel. 

Crew:
Pilot – 1st Lt. Horace J. Gabbart (0-769790)
Check Pilot – 1st Lt. Melvin L. Power (0-933431)
Radio Operator – Pfc. Eugene F. Ryan (17134187)
Passengers from AGRS:
USF-IBT – Captain Roy W. Corley (0-1587766)
USF-IBT – 1st Lt. Donald S. Dutton (0-1118713)
USF-IBT – 1st Lt. Henry E. Derbyshire (0-1116766)
USF-IBT – S/Sgt. Glenn F. Cox, Jr. (36961684)
USF-IBT – T/4 Warren R. Haines (42083730)
USF-IBT – T/5 Wallace J. Davis (33551295)
Other Passengers:
AACS – 1st Lt. Harry Chan (0-877552)
USNR – Lt. Commander James T. Campbell (205425)

The aircraft’s intended route was a routine flight from Rangoon, Burma  to Barrakapore/Calcutta, India.  The weather conditions were poor for flying, with severe thunder storms, line squalls and heavy monsoon rains.  The normal flight time for this route would have been about 4-1/2 hours, but due to the weather, the pilot estimated that it would take about 5-1/2 hours.

The C-47 #8308 departed from Rangoon at 0324 GMT.  The ship reported a position of 12,000 ft. above Akyab at 530 GMT, gave ETA Barrackapore of 0800.  The position report was received by Barrackapore Air-Ground Radio Station at 0610 GMT.  The plane requested and received a Barrackapore weather report at 0615 GMT.  At 0705 GMT Barrackapore Air-Ground Operator gave C-47 #5629 (inbound from Karachi) a long count.  #8308 Operator, thinking the count was for him, came back with a QRU “nothing for you”.  This was the last radio contact made with #8308.  According to the ETA it was still 55 minutes from Barrackapore.  Several messages were sent out to #8308 with no response.  At 1000 GMT the ship was declared officially “missing”.

Many search missions were conducted in the days and months to follow.  None of these searches were sucessful in finding this plane. 

Note: Passengers Lt. Dutton and Lt. Derbyshire were enroute to Calcutta to attend an American Graves Registration Service conference and had in their possession complete information of air-wrecks, Japanese executions and American isolated burials obtained after weeks of investigation in Rangoon, Siam, Malay Straits, Java and the Andaman Islands.  The loss of these records, together with the loss of these experienced AGRS officers and inlisted men, was a huge blow to the Search and Recovery activities occuring in the CBI theater.

© 2010 Leslie K. Roane
No information or photographs may be copied by any means
without the consent of the web site’s administrator.

All but one of the men had received burns covering most of their bodies.  Major Werner was the only man relatively unhurt with the exception of a slight concussion.  How Maj. Werner escaped being badly burned is a mystery, as he managed to pull six of his crew out of the burning wreckage.

All of these men were left in the solitary block for five days with no proper medical care and little to no food.  On approximately the fifth day, fellow prisoner Col. K.P. Mackenzie (of the British Royal Army Medical Corps) was allowed to examine the men but not speak with them.  Col. Mackenzie quickly realized that he would need another man to assist him.  Fortunately the guards agreed to allow Major Raymond Ramsay (also of the R.A.M.C.) to come attend to the men as well.  The two doctors discussed the deplorable condition of the men and came to a conclusion.  Col. Mackenzie then sent a message, through an interpreter, to the camp commandant requesting that the men immediately be transferred to a Japanese hospital in Rangoon.  In less than an hour the camp commandant responded with a “point blank refusal”.  The doctors proceeded to treat the men with what little medical supplies they could find and then decided to put in a secondary request.  This time the response was more favorable.  The Japanese Commandant would allow Col. Mackenzie to take 3 of the men back to Cell Block #3 and Maj. Ramsay would take 2 men to Cell Block #6.

One man was in no condition to be moved and it was clear to Col. Mackenzie that he did not have long to live.  Mackenzie decided that the “greatest kindness” he could do for this man was to “not disturb him further”.  It is believed that this man was Lt. Thomas P. Hogan who died on or about the 20 Nov 1943.

The other five men were transferred out of solitary confinement and placed under the medical care of the two British doctors. Col. Mackenzie took Sgt. Hopes, Sgt. Jordan, and Sgt. Daly into his care in cell block 3 while Maj. Ramsey took Lt. Kelley and Sgt. Aubuchon to cell block 6.

Despite the best efforts of both Col. Mackenzie and Maj. Ramsey, four of the airmen died while in their charges. Sgt. Hopes died on 22 Nov 1943. Sgt. Aubuchon died on 26 Nov 1943. Sgt. Jordan died on 27 Nov 1943. Lt. Kelley died on 17 Dec 1943.  All of the men were buried by fellow POW’s in the Rangoon Cantonment Cemetery approximately one mile from the jail.

In Tenko! Rangoon Jail by Sgt. John Boyd (from Mayfield, Kentucky) it says “At night the Japanese allowed no lights.  At night we took turns sitting up with them.  I was with one of the men the night he died.  He had been the bombardier on Werner’s crew. ”  That bombardier was 1st Lt. John C. Kelley.  Sgt. Boyd made a personal visit with Lt. Kelley’s family after he returned to the states.  The family was grateful to know that John did not die alone.

Sgt. Daly and Maj. Werner recovered from their injuries, endured the POW camp, and lived on to return to the U.S. after the end of the war.

Some of the above information was found in the book Operation Rangoon Jail by Col. K.P. Mackenzie.  The arrival and medical treatment of this crew of airmen was also recorded by other POW’s in the following books: Return Via Rangoon by Philip Stibbe, and Tenko! Rangoon Jail by Sgt. John Boyd.

To view photos of the Rangoon Central Jail, please click here to visit the photo page.

To learn more about the conditions of prison, view this report of Rangoon Central Prison written on July 31, 1946 by Capt. James I. Norwood and Capt. Emily L. Shek.  It contains detailed factual information about the prison and its the conditions in which the captives lived.

© 2010 Leslie K. Roane
No information or photographs may be copied by any means
without the consent of the web site’s administrator.

Shortly after dropping the load, the B-24 was intercepted by Japanese fighter planes. Of the six planes flying the mission, Maj. Werner’s was the third plane to go down. An descriptive eyewitness account of the events was recorded by 1st Lt. Leland G. Berlette. It states:

“It was just a few second later that Major Werner’s plane crashed. Early in the fight he had lost an engine on the left wing which wouldn’t feather and finally froze. Soon his other engine on the left wing had been hit and was smoking badly, apparently on fire. This engine was not feathered either. At an altitude of approximately 2,000 feet, I noticed his number three engine was throwing out a slight trail of smoke. At the time of his crash, we were flying up a dry river bed at ground level, and I was flying to the left of Major Werner’s ship abreast of him. We were indicating only 135 M.P.H. and it seemed that his ship was slowly heading down. Just above the ground his left wing tip dropped, dragged the ground and nosed the plane in. I was watching his plane saw number one prop blades break off and scatter in every direction. An instant later the plane exploded into a large sheet of flame which extended upwards higher than our plane. Personnel and pieces of the craft flew in all directions as a result of the explosion and the tail gunner stated the only distinguishable feature of the plane was the complete tail assembly which he observed for just an instant before it too was obscured from view by the fire.
Our remaining three planes throttled up to about 190 to 200 M.P.H. and headed toward the hills, At this time my top turret gunner shot down the last fighter making a pass on us, and the remainder of them turned back.”

As stated above, the plane went down in a fiery crash approximately 60 miles from Mandalay, Burma. The MACR of the incident provides great detail on the fate of this crew. S/Sgt. Kurtz and S/Sgt. Tucker were killed on impact. The other men received extensive burns on their heads, necks, faces, arms and legs and most of their clothing burned away. The remaining eight men made their way to a Burmese village named Mytikla where they were turned over to the Japanese. There 2nd Lt. Young died and was buried by the Japanese.

Lt. Hogan, Sgt. Hopes, Sgt. Jordan, Sgt. Aubuchon, Lt. Kelley, Sgt. Daly and Maj. Werner were all taken to the Rangoon Central Jail and placed in solitary confinement in the POW camp. Lt. Hogan died of burns and lack of medical care while in solitary confinement on or about the 20 Nov 1943. He was buried by fellow POW’s.

On approximately 22 Nov 1943, five of the men were transferred out of solitary confinement and placed under the medical care of two fellow POW’s, Col. K.P. Mackenzie and Maj. Ramsey. Col. Mackenzie took Sgt. Hopes, Sgt. Jordan, and Sgt. Daly into his care in cell block 3 while Maj. Ramsey took Lt. Kelley and Sgt. Aubuchon to cell block 6.

Since the airmen had received no medical attention and very little food during the week in solitary confinement, they were in a deplorable state. Despite the best efforts of both Col. Mackenzie and Maj. Ramsey, four of the airmen died while in their charges. Sgt. Hopes died on 22 Nov 1943. Sgt. Aubuchon died on 26 Nov 1943. Sgt. Jordan died on 27 Nov 1943. Lt. Kelley died on 17 Dec 1943. All of the men were buried by fellow POW’s in the Rangoon Cantonment Cemetery approximately one mile from the jail.

Sgt. Daly and Maj. Werner recovered from their injuries, endured the POW camp, and lived on to return to the U.S. after the end of the war.

The arrival and medical treatment of this crew of airmen was recorded by several POW’s in the following books: Operation Rangoon Jail by Col. K. P. Mackenzie, Return Via Rangoon by Philip Stibbe, and Tenko! Rangoon Jail by Sgt. John Boyd. Due to the graphic nature and heart-wrenching detail of the descriptions in this book I have chosen not to post the excerpts here.

© 2010 Leslie K. Roane
No information or photographs may be copied by any means
without the consent of the web site’s administrator.