APRIL 1945
- SQUADRON
HISTORY
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During
the month of April 1945 flights were scheduled from Morotai, Zamboanga and Palawan.
Missions were to cover strikes and effect rescues in Philippine
Islands, and Borneo areas.
Close coordination with the two detachments was maintained by bi-weekly courier flights.
At the close of the month the two detachments comprised following personnel and aircraft:
On 8 April 1945, while on a rescue mission, S/Sgt
August V. Roznovsky, 6289095, surgical technician, and Sgt Fred B. Bernard, 33279634,
radar observer, were wounded by enemy AA fire. [See
Purple Heart
Citation] Both men from Detachment "A"
Palawan, were hospitalized. S/Sgt Roznovsky returned to duty 14 April 1945. Sgt Bernard
returned 24 April 1945. [Attached mission report
gives
full details. Aircraft OA-10A SerNo 44-33883
was badly damaged during this mission. She never
flew again, and was written off 22
June 1944, per
INDIVIDUAL AIRCRAFT RECORD
CARD3]
Ten (10) officers and twenty one (21) enlisted men were returned to the United States
under the provisions of WD Circular 373, 1944. "Return of Air Crew Personnel to the
United States." All of these personnel had flown over 600 combat hours in this
theatre.
On 17 April 1945 our airplane C-47B,
43-47995 took
off from Biak at 2030, destination Morotai. Due to malfunction of the radio and adverse
weather conditions the pilot attempted to return to
Biak. Lack of fuel necessitated ditching, time: 0430, 18 April 1945;
location: 0°37'N 137°30'E, 133 miles northeast of Biak. All personnel boarded life
rafts, and were picked up at 2130, 18 April 1945 by hospital ship Maetsuycker, with no casualties. The ship proceeded
on its course to Manila, arriving there 24 April 1945. All men were returned to Morotai
via our own aircraft on 28 April 1945. Read Mission
Report.
(Read 13th Emergency Rescue Group
report)
Personnel involved were:
1st Lt Robert L. Rohlfing, 753246
2nd Lt James E. Beavers, 0-2065031
2nd Lt Warner A. Britton,
0-834363
2nd Lt Arthur G. Carothers, Jr., 0-831127
2nd Lt Willie J. LaBonte, 0-815509
2nd Lt Donald F. McKeon, 0-693867
2nd Lt Henry M. Wollum, 0-711290
2nd Lt Levern M. Mellstrom, 0-711763
Sgt Onis W. Brim, 6658000
Sgt Maurice Greenfogel, 32874753
Cpl Ernest Ludwig, 32862381
Cpl Joseph M. Quinn, 32911045 |
At Palawan, 28 April 1945, attack by Jap
aircraft damaged one OA-10 and
destroyed another on the strip. No injuries to personnel.
Airplane, 44-33881 was destroyed, the other is
repairable. [Per
INDIVIDUAL
AIRCRAFT RECORD
CARD3
she was salvaged 13 May 1945]
Five new OA-10A's were assigned to the Squadron. The usual inspections, conversions
and testing kept the engineering section busy. Copies of General Orders showing awards and
decorations granted our men during the month are attached as supporting documents. Total
rescues for April: 96
Copies of pertinent mission reports attached.
75 combat missions and 652:50 combat hours flown.
01 April
- |
Evacuated 1 seriously ill patient |
02 April
- |
Evacuated 5 patients |
07 April
- |
Rescued 3 crewmembers
from the 42dn Bomb Group |
08 April
- |
Rescued 6 crewmembers
from the 70th Bomb Sq. (Distinguished
Service Cross awarded to
1st Lt. Bob Davis for
this mission) |
12 April
- |
Evacuated 12 soldiers
from Jolo Island to Zamboanga |
13 April
- |
Rescued 6 crewmembers of
a Marine PBJ (B-25) crew |
14 April
- |
Evacuated 13 soldiers
from Jolo Island to Zamboanga |
15 April
- |
Rescued 3 crewmembers
from Balabac Lighthouse |
16 April
- |
Evacuated 8 soldiers
from Tawi Tawi Island |
17 April
- |
Ditching of the Squadron
C-47 (43-47995) northeast of Biak Island |
18 April
- |
Rescued 2 crewmembers
from the USS Robinson (Destroyer) |
20 April
- |
Evacuated 1 soldier from
Jolo Island to Zamboanga |
23 April
- |
Rescued 6 crewmembers of
B-25 crew that ditched on Eldad Reef |
30 April
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Rescued 1 crewmember
from the 70th Fighter Sq., 18th Fighter Gp. |
GENERAL ORDERS No. 4761, |
HQ, Far East Air Forces, (04
April 1945) |
GENERAL ORDERS
No. 401, |
HQ, Far East Air Forces, (09 April 1945) |
GENERAL ORDERS No. 5161, |
HQ, Far East Air Forces, (11 April 1945) |
GENERAL ORDERS No. 5221,
|
HQ, Far East Air Forces, (12 April 1945)
|
GENERAL ORDERS No. 5711,
|
HQ, Far East Air Forces, (19 April 1945)
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This report was copied verbatim from the "Official" Squadron History that
was obtained via microfilm from Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama. The text
that is in brackets [ ], I added to clarify the information. It is not Official.
Some documents are original and some are reproductions.
1
Official
Squadron rosters, orders, or documents
obtained from the microfilm - Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.
2
APO numbers from "Numbered Army & Air Force Post Office Locations" - 7th
Edition - by Russ Carter
3
From Individual Aircraft Record Cards - Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
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