 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Home |
Edition Prints |
us: Bio/Exhibits |
Fund Raiser |
New |
Us |
Schedule |
Preservation Links |
Prints, Notecards, Posters |
covers |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Home |
Edition Prints |
us: Bio/Exhibits |
Fund Raiser |
New |
Us |
Schedule |
Preservation Links |
Prints, Notecards, Posters |
covers |
IN THE HANDS OF GOD |
 A Tribute to the Crew of "POCO MOCO"  MIA/KIA, August 6, 1945 May WE Never Forget.... "Once we left the ground and were in the air, anything could happen. We were in the hands of God!" S/Sgt. Michael J. Fevola: Top Turret, "American Beauty" On August 6, 1945, "POCO MOCO" B-24J 44-49451, from the 375th BS, 308th BG, 14th AF, was dispatched for a routine gas haul over the "Hump" from Hsinching, China to Rupsi India. With a crew of six airmen, the plane was last heard from by radio over Shingbwiyang, Burma. Fifteen search and rescue missions were flown over the area totalling 79 flight hours but no evidence of the aircraft was ever discovered. The crew members were initially listed as MIA but were changed to KIA in August of 1946. To this day the aircraft and the crew's remains have never been found. They remain "In the hands of God"! Although the loss of every American serviceman killed during WWII was a tragedy, the loss of this particular crew is especially poignant because of our realization that the war would end just 8 DAYS after their disappearance. If anyone should have any more info on this aircraft and her crew please Contact Us . Paul R. Martin III  POCO MOCO  We Honor her crew! They made the ultimate sacrifice for our FREEDOM! 1st. Lt. James D. Shirley - Pilot, Altoona, Georgia F/O Rolland J. Luce - Co-Pilot, Gowanda, New York F/O Ray O. Ringler - Navigator, Shillington, PA T/Sgt Charles E. Whiteman, San Fransisco, California S/Sgt Franklin Sturtevant, Norway, Maine S/Sgt David R. Ferguson, Fairview, Massachusetts And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of- wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there, I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung My eager craft through footless halls of air. Up, up, up the long, delirious burning blue I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace Where never Lark, or even Eagle flew - And while with silent lifting mind, I've trod The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand and touched the face of God. - John Gillespie Magee, Jr, 1922-1944  Back Row (L-R): Pilot, Lt. James B. Shirley, Bombardier, Kazimir Zolyn, F/O Rolland J. Luce, Thomas D. Barclay. Front Row (L-R): Sgt. Walter E. Lawson, T/Sgt. Charles E. Whiteman, Cpl. David R. Ferguson, Cpl. Eugene R. Rider, Sgt. Charles R. Frey, Sgt. Allan I. Ammerman. Photo Courtesy Charles R. Wride (son of T/Sgt. Charles Whiteman)  When Poco Moco made her trip across the “Hump” she did so without the full complement of her crew. The trip was not over enemy territory so the 4 gunners were not necessarily required. Their combined weight was saved to accommodate more supplies and gasoline. Gunner Sgt. Walter E. Lawson did not make the trip. He kept a diary and his entry for August 28, 1945 read: “It is now August 28 and the war is over. On the 6th of August my Pilot (1st. Lt. James B. Shirley) received word from home that he was a father of a new son. He passed out cigars that evening and the next morning they took off for China with a load of gas; My pilot, co-pilot, engineer, radio op. and assistant engineer...... (there was a new navigator with the crew on this particular mission). They landed with the gas and that evening they took off again for Rupsi where we are now.”  Stateside training crew. Back row, (L-R) Pilot, Lt. William L Wagner, F/O Rolland J. Luce, Navigator Thomas D. Barclay, Lt. James H. McElwain. Front row, (L-R) T/Sgt. Charles E. Whiteman, Sgt. Allan I. Ammerman, Sgt. Walt Lawson, Sgt. Charles R. Frey, Cpl. Eugene R. Rider, Cpl. David R. Ferguson (Fergie). Photo courtesy of James and Mary Anne Luce Adkins  T/Sgt. Charles E.Whiteman
Lawson’s diary continued: “At 2 AM they began giving their location and at 3 AM is when they went silent. The field was closed in on account of the storm we were having and I think they must have headed back toward China as their last report showed they were back over the “Hump”.......... So whether they were looking for a place to let down or got lost, we don’t know. We do know they have been missing for 21 days and that they only had enough gas for 6 hours flying when they left China. I still have hope of them coming back on foot because Shirley is the best pilot I’ve ever known, Whiteman is the best of engineers and Sturtevant is a darn good radio op....... if they ran out of gas Whiteman would have known it in time so they could have jumped. It was storming hard though and there are some high mountains over the “Hump”. It will sure seem funny to be going home without them after us travelling together for so long and having so much fun. I’m hoping they get back in time to go with us.” Sadly, Lawson’s last entry, dated October 21, 1945 read: “This is about the end of my trip so will bring this to a close----It’s also the end of the book------ MY CREW HAS NEVER SHOWN UP!” May WE Never Forget.... (above) Flight Engineer, T/Sgt. Charles E. Whiteman B+W photos and Lawson's diary copyright 2003. Courtesy Charles R. Wride (son of T/Sgt. Charles Whiteman) Color photo copyright 2003. Courtesy of Raymond H. Loughridge F/O Rolland J. Luce  F/O Rolland J. Luce poses proudly in front of the distinctive nose art of POCO MOCO. Note the 375th Bomb Squadron insignia on his leather jacket. Photo courtesy of James and Mary Anne Luce Adkins  F/O Rolland Luce
F/O Rolland Luce during stateside training. His officer's business card is shown below. Photo courtesy of James and Mary Anne Luce Adkins (Luce's niece)  L to R. Shirley, Lawson, Luce, Barclay.  Can anyone identify these airmen or those in the photos below? Please Contact us 914-245-8903 info@paulmartinart.com   Close up enlargements from the Stateside crew photograph. Left, Lt. James H. McElwain. Center, Thomas D. Barclay. Right, Lt. William L. Wagner   May WE Never Forget....  WWRM:World War II Families for the Return of the Missing
World War II Families for the Return of the Missing (WWRM) Mission Statement: To work jointly with JPAC (Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command), DPMO (Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office), and the Repatriation Divisions of the US Armed Services to bring final resolution to the Families and Friends of our Missing American Personnel from World War II. We advocate for the Families and Friends to bring these service members home to their Final Resting Place. About Us: WWRM (World War II Families for the Recovery of the Missing) is an advocacy group of volunteers that can assist in the confusing and often frustrating process of locating and repatriating the remains of our missing service personnel from World War II. There is no fee charged although donations are accepted.  B-24 LINKS WWRM:World War II Families for the Return of the Missing
World War II Families for the Return of the Missing (WWRM) Mission Statement: To work jointly with JPAC (Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command), DPMO (Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office), and the Repatriation Divisions of the US Armed Services to bring final resolution to the Families and Friends of our Missing American Personnel from World War II. We advocate for the Families and Friends to bring these service members home to their Final Resting Place. About Us: WWRM (World War II Families for the Recovery of the Missing) is an advocacy group of volunteers that can assist in the confusing and often frustrating process of locating and repatriating the remains of our missing service personnel from World War II. There is no fee charged although donations are accepted.  A great website devoted to B-24's.  458th Bomb Group (H)
A beautiful new site created by Darin Scorza to honor his father, Navigator Samuel D. Scorza and this B-24 8th Air Force Bomb Group. Wonderful unpublished photos and recollections of this highly decorated group.  1st. Lt. Charles E. Hacking's CBI Page
Ruth Ann Hacking honors her grandfather, 1st. Lt. Charles E. Hacking who served in the CBI.  308th Bomb Group, 14th AF, CBI
A wonderful website dedicated to the 308th Bomb Group.  Miss Mandy
Here is a great site dedicated to another 14th AF, 308th BG Aircraft, “Miss Mandy”. Created by Bob Donnan to honor his father, 1st Lt. David Donnan, Navigator, this site has some wonderful photos, stories and memoribilia from this 374th Squadron B-24J. May we never forget.  A real nice website devoted to all the Heavy Bombers of WWII: B-24, B-17 and B-29 AMERICAN BEAUTY: Part II Camp Life In China and Combat Missions: "CLICK" Here! | kings x | | American Beauty | AmericanBeauty2 | So Gallantly Streaming | silver wings | | Gettysburg Series | Great American Portrait Series | WWII Series | Revolutionary War Series | Civil War Series | West Point Series | Banners Of Glory Series | | Return Home | Limited Edition Prints | About us: Bio/Exhibits | 9-11 Fund Raiser | What's New | Contact Us | Events Schedule | Friends- Preservation Links | Mini Prints, Notecards, Posters | book covers | |
||