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(excerpts from the) 1992-1996 FINDINGS OF THE KOREAN WAR
WORKING GROUP
8 July 1950 Summary of Incident.
“On 8 July 1950, Col Robert R Martin (redacted, but deduced from
other records), Infantry, was killed in action in Chonan, Korea. He
was the (34th
Infantry) Regimental Commander and was leading
a subordinate battalion of his
unit in an effort to repel a severe attack by tanks and infantry against his
positions. While endeavoring to
single-handedly knock out a tank with a bazooka at a range of 15 yards, he
was killed instantly by a tank
projectile which struck him squarely in the body at close range.”
Russian. TFR
300-1 is a telegram addressed to Zakharov and signed by Shtykov (Soviet Ambassador to North
Korea). This document is a progress report on the Korean War as of 24 July 1950. Most of the
document is about the success the North Korean People’s Army is having
against the US Army’s 34th
Infantry Regiment of the 24th
Infantry Division-lists of equipment
captured, POW numbers, etc. This
document states, “ The 34th
Regiment of the 24th
American Division was routed during the battles
for the town of Tajden. 108 soldiers and officers were taken prisoner, among
these was Commander of the
American 34th
Regiment.” COL Jay B. Lovless
25 June - 7 July 1950 Relieved and returned to Japan Col Robert R
Martin (redacted, but recreated) 7 - 8 July 1950
Killed in action LTC Robert
Wadlington. 8 - 18 July 1950 Temporary Commanding Officer Never captured COL Charles
Beauchamp 18 July 1950 - 1951 Departed Korea approx. April 1951 for Tokyo Of the four possible
candidates above, Martin is the only Commander who was at the appropriate place
and time. He is currently listed on the CILHI list as KIA/BNR based on the eyewitness account
of his being struck at point blank range by a tank projectile. Although his
remains were not recovered,
his death was never in question prior to receipt of this Russian report. Current Status It is possible that
did not die as reported and was captured. In the heat of battle, the
eyewitness account could be in error. It is equally possible that the
Russian report is in error and that the officer
reported captured was not the Commanding Officer, but one of the staff
officers for the regiment. This
case has been presented to the Russian side of the Commission. The Russians maintain that their
report must be in error, however, no additional information has been
provided to substantiate either
possibility.
RB-45 4 December 1950 Summary of Incident.
On 4 December 1950 around noon time, John Raymond Lovell 924A and
___________ AO-16783 took
off in a RB-45 from Yokota Air Base, Japan. Since Lovell was not a regular member of
the aircraft crew, but was rather a senior Air Force intelligence officer
assigned to the Pentagon and on TDY
in the Far East, __________served as an observer on this mission.
At approximately 1250
hours, the RB-45 was intercepted by a flight of MiG-15 fighters and was shot down 70 km east of
Andung. At least one person managed to parachute from the aircraft.32 Personnel Involved. Charles Edward McDonough AO-794558, pilot Jules Edwin Young AO-800628, co-pilot James Jerome Picucci AO-928027, navigator Archival Records Russian. name does not appear on any of the lists of names provided to the U.S. side of the U.S.-Russia Joint Commission. TFR 242: This is a set of two documents. Originally the Russians provided the U.S. side of the Commission with one document that was in reality a sanitized, pasted together version of the two. A contractor working for the Defense POW/MIA Office, however, was able to provide the U.S. side of the Commission copies of the two original documents. The first document is a message dated 17 December 1950. It is from General Belov, who was then the commander of the 64th Fighter Aviation Corps, to Generals Shtemenko and Batitskii.33
The purpose of the message was to inform the senior Soviet leadership that for the first time an RB-45 had been shot down. At the time, the RB-45 was seen as the “hottest”, light bomber in theAmerican inventory and General Belov was clearly pleased to inform Moscow of his unit’s success. In the message, Belov reported, “An aircraft shot down on 12-4-50 of the B-45 type fell in a region 70 km east of Andun. The aircraft caught fire in the air and upon falling to earth burned up completely.
navigator having landed ran off, where the radio operator disappeared to . . . he did not see. The captive himself was burned and is in critical condition.” It is clear from this message that the Soviets did not know there were four and not three people on the RB-45. The next day, General Stepan Akimovich Krasovskii, then a senior Soviet advisor to the North Koreans, sent a cryptic message to Moscow, “I report that the pilot from the shot down RB-45 died on route and the interrogation was not completed.”34
bottom of the document, a Major Kuznetsov prepared the questions. It is not clear who conducted the interrogation, but a Chinese official translated the original English text into Russian.35 During the interrogation, stated that the RB-45 ‘has a crew of three - a pilot, navigator, and radio operator.” Later recounted, “The plane caught fire and all three (emphasis added) crew members bailed out. I saw one run off, I don’t know where the other went to, and I landed where the plane crashed.” It is important to note that did not mention during the interrogation that his RB-45 was carrying a fourth crew member - . Indeed, a close reading of the transcript strongly suggests that was deliberately trying to conceal from his captors the fact there was a fourth man aboard the aircraft.
U.S. A document titled “Air Force Personnel Reported to Have Died in POW-Camp, Been, Very Ill in POW Camp or Killed in Crash...” simply states “ told another POW he was only survivor. Believed was dead.”36 21 September 1955: In a letter to a Mr. Joseph P. Nagoski, U.S. Department of State from LTC Richard A. Steele, USAF, Chief, Casualty Branch, Personnel Services Division, Directorate of Military Personnel, Headquarters USAF, LTC Steele provides the following details of the shoot down on the RB-45 carrying . “... furnished the following details concerning his missing status to Captain Hamilton B. Shawe, Jr.37 indicated that while flying a B-45 (sic) along the Yalu River, the aircraft was attacked by five MiGs and two engines were shot out. He stated that he was the only one who escaped from the aircraft (emphasis added), having managed to get the canopy off and bail out at an altitude of about 1,000 feet. landed in the burning wreckage and was severely burned about the hands and face. After evading capture, for 3 or 4 days without shoes, he turned himself in to the North Koreans...he was placed in a cell with Captain Shawe in Sinuiji, North Korea. Two days later they were removed from the cell and Captain Shawe joined a group of prisoners starting a march to another prison camp. could not walk and was carried to an ox cart by fellow prisoners. The North Koreans said he was being taken to a hospital for medical treatment, because he was suffering from frostbite and gangrene of both legs. He was not seen again by repatriates after 16 December 1950, and they reported his condition was so bad at that time that he was not expected to survive.” Propaganda Broadcast - On 21 May 1951 U.S. listening stations intercepted an enemy (no further information) propaganda broadcast “in which a Lieutenant Colonel Lorel, United States Air Force, was mentioned as being captured in northern Korea. The spelling of the name could not be verified, was believed to be phonetic, and resembled none of the names of Air Force personnel missing in Korea, with the exception of ____________.”38 Personal Accounts
Colonel Aleksandr Fedorovich Andrianov - He was the pilot who shot down the RB-45 that carried .39 He was first interviewed by a Department of Defense contractor and later by the U.S.-Russia Joint Commission on POW/MIA Affairs at the April 1995 Working Group Talks in Moscow. During the first interview, Colonel Andrianov described in detail the shootdown, “When I fired the first time, it was still too far. And then the distance was about 600 to 800 meters. I started firing. And here I saw that something fell from him...And during the second approach, he (the RB-45) burst into flames. And here he started to descend and only the pilot (emphasis added) jumped out of the aircraft. The crew was supposed to be three or four people, I don’t remember exactly now. We probably got them when we were firing. The plane hit the hill before our eyes. An explosion. We kept circling above. The pilot landed with his parachute. He was picked up by a special team, the Korean team would pick up all the pilots who were shot down, including ours. And he went to prison.” In April 1995, Colonel Andrianov expanded up his earlier testimony, “At approximately 3,000 meters or lower, I saw one parachute deploy from the aircraft. All of my colleagues saw only one parachute as well. None of us saw any other parachutes [emphasis added]. Although I have heard that others jumped, we did not note any other parachutes....However, I clearly saw the aircraft crash and explode.” Although Colonel Andrianov was not present, he was able to describe during the first interview how the pilot of the RB-45 ultimately died based on what a friend Colonel Pavel Vasilyevich Fironov told him. Fironov was a lieutenant colonel at the time and the regimental political officer. It was Fironov who interrogated the American pilot. “He (the pilot) was kind of arrogant”, according to Andrianov. “...(T)he Koreans executed him the same way. They got a piece of plywood. They wrote down all he said on that plywood
-- ‘I am an American pilot. This is my third surveillance flight. According
to my data such and such
towns and plants were destroyed, such and such number of older people and children were
killed’. And with it they let him go to Singisyu. They gave him a one man
escort. That patrolman was given
specific instructions not to interfere too much. First, he walked as if
through a
39 Colonel Andrianov was born in 1919 and is a veteran of both the Second World War and the Korean War.
formation. People were on both sides. First, they only shouted at him, cursed him, threw sticks. The patrolman did not interfere too much. Then, they started to spit at him, hit him...he was finished.” Colonel Pavel Vasilyevich Fironov - In early 1995, Colonel Fironov was interviewed in Moscow by an investigator from the Joint Commission. This was for Fironov at least his second interview. Not long before, he was interviewed by Igor Morozov, a Russian journalist working for the BBC. Apparently during this interview, Fironov was given background information on the shootdown of the RB-45 and in particular information on the crew members. As a result, Fironov’s testimony to the Joint Commission can be considered at potentially influenced or “tainted”. BBC Interview - In March 1996, the BBC television network aired on Time Watch a special report titled “Stalin’s Secret War”. One segment of this program discussed the case of . Colonel Fironov was introduced as the man who interrogated . Then for several moments Fironov was interviewed in Russian with an English voice over. Portions of the interview were edited out and replaced with the narrator’s summary of what Fironov said. Fironov describes his initial meeting with , the fact that he had a fact book on the Soviet Air Force (described by the narrator as a “highly classified document”), and the anger of the North Korean general, who was also present for the interrogation, over perceived arrogance. Then switching to a photograph of , the narrator says, “The North Korean general angered by belligerence had him marched to the local town, a placard with the words “War Criminal” hung around his neck. was beaten to death by the local people.” The program does not indicate how Fironov knew that the person he interrogated was and not or another airman. However, when an investigator from the Joint Commission interviewed Fironov a few months after his interview by the BBC, it seemed that Fironov’s identification of is less certain. During the interview with the Joint Commission investigator, Fironov recounted that the man identified himself as “the commander of that crew, although he himself told me that he was a regimental commander.” When asked if this man was , Fironov replied, “Yes, yes, yes.” Then when 76 asked, “And how is that you heard his name?”, Fironov said, “Who? The regimental commander? Morozov’s (the Russian journalist who first interviewed Fironov) daughter told me this.” Later, during the April 1995 Working Group Talks in Moscow, Colonel Fironov was interviewed by members of the Joint Commission. When asked to describe the man he interrogated, Colonel Fironov said, “I would say (he was) about 32 - no more than 32 years of age”. Asked if the man he met wore glasses, Fironov replied, “No”. Finally when requested to describe his prisoner, Fironov said, “About like me. Regarding his physical characteristics, he was similar to me”. Colonel Fironov is of slender build and about 5’ 7” tall while was 5’ 6” inches tall and stout at 183 lbs. was also forty-six years of age and wore glasses. , however, was 31 years of age, tall, and slender at 6’ 2” and 195 lbs. He did not wear glasses. It should also be noted that during Colonel Fironov’s first interview with an investigator from the Joint Commission, Fironov was asked, “Tell me, did you hear what happened to him, this person with whom you talked?” Fironov replied, “No, how would I know?” Investigator, “You didn’t hear that they killed him, or that he died?” “No, no”, Fironov responded. A similar line of questioning was raised with Fironov at the April 1995 Working Group Talks by a Joint Commission staffer who asked, “When he (the RB-45 crewman) asked you to spare his life, was it within your power to do so?” “We had no relationship whatsoever with the prisoner,” Colonel Fironov answered. “Don’t you understand that all we did was conducted a discussion with him regarding aircraft? We had no other relationship regarding the prisoner.” Colonel Firnov in his two interviews with members of the Joint Commission apparently sought to distance himself from his earlier testimony that the American flyer he interrogated was killed by an irate crowd of North Korean civilians. Current Status. 77 There is a high probability that died in the crash of the RB-45 on which he flew. Furthermore, it is argued that the American flyer interrogated by Colonel Fironov was , the pilot of the RB-45, and not . First, this assessment is based on an evaluation of Colonel Fironov’s description of the man he interrogated. Fironov’s description more closely fits that of than it does of . Second, Colonel Fironov inadvertently seems to have been influenced by a statement from a Russian journalist’s daughter suggesting he had interrogated a . Third, an American airman who occupied a cell with a man who identified himself at strongly suggests that it was indeed who survived the crash and not . Fourth, this American airman, Lieutenant Shawe said that told him that only he ( ) survived the crash of the aircraft. The fact that told his captors that the entire three man crew managed to bail out can be attributed to a conscious effort on part to deceive his North Korean/Chinese captors. A further indication of this deceptiveness is the fact that told his captors that there were only three men on the RB-45 and not four! Fifth, the fact that Colonel Andrianov, the man who shot down the RB-45, saw only one parachute supports the assessment that only one crew member bailed out. Sixth, the contemporary Russian documentary record shows that a was interrogated. There is no mention in the Russian documents available to the U.S. side of the Commission suggesting that a colonel was captured on or about 4 December 1950. Had an American colonel been captured, especially one with an intelligence background, the senior Soviet leadership would have certainly been informed immediately. Colonel Fironov’s statement that the flyer he interrogated was killed by an angry North Korean crowd can not be verified although it is plausible. Fironov’s veracity on this point is weakened by his apparent effort to back away from supporting this statement. Although the U.S. side of the Commission firmly believes that there is a high probability that died in the crash of the RB-45 and was not captured, the Commission will continue to seek additional information that will clear up any ambiguity surrounding this case.
5 December 1950 PVT MILTON LAWSON Summary of Incident. PVT Lawson, a Marine Corps Reservist , was called to active duty on 27 July 1950 to serve in the Ground Forces in North Korea. On or about 5 December 1950, after telling a fellow Marine he thought his feet were frostbitten, PVT Lawson began to walk to an aid station near the town of Hagaru-ri. He was never seen or heard from again. PVT Lawson was declared MIA. Background. On 22 June 1991, 60 Minutes aired a program called The Last Gulag: Perm 35. This program was narrated by Mike Wallace of CBS News and the film footage of the Russian prison camp was shot by the French. While watching this program, thirteen of Milton Lawson’s friends and relatives identified one of the inmates as Lawson. Archival Records None Personal Accounts In September 1992, a member of Task Force Russia met with a former Perm 35 inmate “who easily identified a reputed MIA photo of PVT Lawson as a friend and former inmate named Vladimir Shchebol.” On 5 June 1995, Task Force Russia interviewed Vladimir Iosifovich Shchebol. He confirmed that journalists had been to Perm 35 and had taken pictures and films of several inmates. He stated that he had been born in Belarus and did not even have any knowledge of Lawson. During the interview, Task Force Russia took photographs of Shchebol. Current Status Based on an analysis of the photographs of Shchebol and Lawson and the testimony of Shchebol himself, it is highly probable that the man identified as Lawson on the 60 Minutes program was in fact Vladimir Shchebol. Other than the alleged association of PVT Lawson with a Russian prison camp by friends and family, there is no Russian activity regarding this case.
B-26 5 April 1951 CPT HALBERT UNRUH Summary of Incident. 5 April 1951, a B-26 piloted by CPT Unruh departed Taegu Air Base for a night intruder mission in the Pyongyang area. Shortly after take off, a routine report was received from LT (rank at time) Unruh indicating that there were no difficulties and they were proceeding on course to target area. No further contact was made. The fate of the crew and aircraft is unknown. Personnel Involved. UNRUH, Halbert, CPT MIA Archival Records Russian. CPT Unruh’s name appears on the list of 71 more formally known as List of U. S. Air Force Crew Members Participating in Combat Operations in North Korea 1950-53, and About Whom Information Has Been Found in Documents of the 64th Fighter Aviation Corps. This list was compiled by the Russians and given to the U.S. side in 1992. Number 67 on this list states, “Ul’RIKh KhOL’BERT-perished in crash.” TFR 76-25: The Russian side of the USRJC has provided an additional document which mentions the fate of CPT Unruh. TFR 76 -25 is a cover sheet which states, “I am submitting to you a translation of the document taken from the dead American flier ULL’RIKH KHAL’BERT, shot down by AAA on 4 April 1951 near KHAKUSEN...” Unfortunately, the attached document lists the personal effects belonging to vice CPT Unruh. Regardless of the mix up, the cover letter states that the personal effects of CPT Unruh were retrieved. According to the Russians, in several cases where the pilot perished, those personal documents (i.e. ID card, ration card etc.) found intact at the crash site were gathered and sent through an interrogation point for processing. There is little reason to doubt this statement as it is common practice in the U.S. and NATO militaries as well. U.S. CPT Unruh’s name appears in the 77 page document formally titled The Transfer of United States Korean War POWs to the Soviet Union. This document is actually a collection of studies and hypotheses compiled by the U. S. side to use as a working tool. CPT Unruh’s name appears in this 122 document as part of a study conducted by TSGT Siedling on Korean War POWs on whom the Russian archives may contain information. Current Status Despite the obvious “mix up” of the /Unruh files, there is little reason to doubt the veracity of the Russian documents. The Russian side has complied with our request to try to locate the “correct” documents belonging to CPT Unruh. Both sides of the USRJC agree that there is a high probability that CPT Unruh perished.
B-29 12 April 1951 SGT LOUIS BERGMANN Summary of Incident. On 12 April 1951, a flight of B-29s departed Kadena Air Base for a combat mission over North Korea. The flight was attacked by a number of enemy aircraft. Moments later SGT Bergmann’s B-29 was observed leaving the formation with one engine and left wing in flames and shortly afterwards spiraling downward out of control. The aircraft exploded upon impact with the side of a mountain. Personnel Involved: MIA SGT Bevans, Robert MIA MIA SGT Bergmann, Louis MIA 1LT Aaron, George KIA MIA poss. KIA SGT Gant, John RMC 2LT Bullock, Elmer KIA SGT Millward, George RMC MSG Jones, Robert KIA Archival Records Russian. TFR 76-8 to 76-14: The Russian side of the Commission presented to the U.S. side a document entitled “Brief Biographical Data on Prisoners”. Under the heading “Prisoners from B-29 No. 69682, 93rd Squadron 19th Air Group”, biographical information obtained from SGT Gant, SGT Millward and SGT Bergmann is summarized. With the exception of SGT Bergmann, all POWs mentioned in this section of the Russian document were subsequently repatriated. U.S. USAF records as stated above in summary. Personal Accounts A report received from the Commanding General, Far East Air Forces, dated 15 October 1951, revealed that a Korean Military Observer allegedly received word that five persons were seen parachuting from the disabled plane before it crashed. He further related that of the five, four had been captured by the enemy forces and that a search was in progress for the fifth.
the B-29 survived the crash and were captured. SGT Gant, SGT Millward, and SGT Bergmann were held prisoner in the same camp. SGT Gant and SGT Millward were repatriated during Operation Big Switch. Both Gant and Millward saw SGT Bergmann alive in the camp. In fact, SGT Gant shared a cell with SGT Bergmann. Repatriated POWs from other crews as well recall meeting SGT Bergmann while in captivity. He was seen alive several times between September and November 1951. At one point during his imprisonment, SGT Bergmann apparently became ill with amebic dysentery and he was taken to a hospital to be treated by a Hungarian medical team. Whether or not he returned alive from the hospital is unknown. It can, however, be said with certainty that SGT Bergmann was seen alive in a POW camp after the crash of the aircraft. Current Status Both Russian and U.S. sources confirm that SGT Bergmann survived the crash, was in a POW camp and was interrogated. SGT Bergmann did not return to United States military control after the war. The U.S. side has requested that the Russians provide additional information on SGT Bergmann. To date, no additional information has been provided. The ultimate fate of SGT Bergmann remains unknown. Repatriated crew members reported that there were only three survivors. JCSD believes that there is a high probability that the “unaccounted for” (MIA) crew members, , , and , perished in the crash. Additional Information. According to documentation and statements of repatriated POWs, of the eleven B-29 crew members, two were captured and returned, one was captured and not returned and eight did not survive the crash. Additional information has since been found regarding four of the deceased crew members. On 8 December 1993, The United States Army Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii (CILHI) received a shipment of 31 skeletal remains from the Korean War. These remains were recovered by the North Korean Government and turned over to the U.N. Command. Remains were then taken to CILHI for processing. In 1994 the remains of the following individuals from the B-29 crew were identified by CILHI: 1. 1LT Aaron, George 2. 2LT Bullock, Elmer 3. MSG Jones, Robert The identification of the remains believed to be those of _______________ is pending.
B-29 7 May 1951 Summary of Incident. On 7 May 1951, this B-29 departed Yokota Air Base for a bombing mission in the Pyongyang area of North Korea. After arriving in the target area, the plane was severely damaged by enemy flak causing a fire in the right wing and two engines. The aircraft commander radioed that they would have to crash land and were heading for friendly territory. Shortly thereafter, another radio report was received indicating that the fire could not be controlled and that the crew would have to leave the disabled aircraft. The parachutes of four unidentified crew members were then seen leaving the plane before it crashed to the ground southwest of Pyongyang. An extensive aerial search was initiated by Air Rescue units and the wreckage of the burning aircraft was sighted, but all efforts to locate the crew members were to no avail. Personnel Involved. Unaccounted for: Adler, Junior Merle Bacon, Raymond Randolph MIA Black, Vance Eugene MIA Chapman, Dewey Lyle MIA Chesnowsky, Frank Joseph MIA Collins, John Soulard MIA Erickson, Lee Eldon MIA Hawes, Richard Elliot MIA Rice, John Andrew MIA Stoll, Edward Joseph MIA (the above names were redacted, but recreated from other sources) Accounted for: McTAGGART, William C., CPT RMC JONES, Richard M., S/SGT RMC SMITH, Ellsworth E, S/SGT RMC Archival Records Russian. The alleged Pravda article. JCSD is trying to obtain a copy. U.S. The Individual Deceased Personnel File (293 file) of _____________contains several documents entitled “Returnee Report on Death of an Individual in a Captured Status”. According to repatriated POWs who witnessed his death, _________ died of dysentery and malnutrition while in a North Korean POW Camp and was interred in November 1951. Personal Accounts In August 1992, JCSD members interviewed Colonel Gavril Korotkov, a retired senior Soviet intelligence officer. Colonel Korotkov stated that he personally interrogated two American POWs. Korotkov could not recall the names of any of the American POWs who were processed through Khabarovsk, except for a ___________ (first name unknown). Colonel Aleksandr Semenovich Orlov, a retired Soviet intelligence officer and current Commissioner on the Russian side of the Joint Commission, met with ____________ in North Korea in June 1951 and set up an interview between ________ and a local Pravda correspondent. According to Colonel Orlov, the article appeared in the summer of 1951. JCSD has not seen a copy of this article. Current Status According to U.S. Air Force records, ______________ died of dysentery and malnutrition in November 1951, six months after his capture. The Russian side of the Commission has been forthright with the fact that the Russians interviewed _________ while he was a POW.
F-86 18 June 1951 Summary of Incident. On 18 June 1951, F-86 formation was attacked by eight enemy MiG-15s. F-86 was last seen making a right break trying to avoid the attackers. The flight leader stated that MiG-15s were seen firing but no results observed. A search of the area revealed no indication of the pilot or the aircraft. Personnel Involved. MIA Archival Records None Personal Accounts Several witnesses have given statements concerning this incident. Although no archival material has been produced to confirm these testimonies, all the statements appear to confirm one another. Askold Germon: A retired Soviet Air Force Colonel reported that he was able “to determine, with a reasonable degree of reliability, the fate of .” Germon learned that on 18 June 1951 an American F-86 was involved in a collision during an air engagement. Both aircraft crashed as a result of the incident. The Soviet airman was able to parachute to safety, but the American was killed. This incident was reported in the 21 June 1951 edition of Izvestiya. Other Soviet veterans have previously reported seeing identification card.14 Vladimir Vladimirovich Dorofeyev: Dorofeyev claimed that he developed information that ................... had a mid-air collision with a Soviet MiG during a dog fight. The MiG pilot by the name of Subotin bailed out and survived. Allegedly, Subotin witnessed death when his plane crashed.15 14Paul Cole, POW/MIA Archive Research Project: Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Berlin, Volume 1: Moscow Research (DFI International, Washington D.C., 1995) 15 Per request from the U.S., the Russian side of the Commission has located the Soviet pilot Subotin.Unfortunately, he is currently very ill and not capable of an interview.
Vladimir Mikhailovich Roshchin: Soviet Korean War veteran recalls seeing the papers of a pilot of a shot down plane. According to Roshchin, these papers belonged to Karl Crone. Current Status There are discrepancies in the testimonies regarding dates, correct spelling and first name of the American pilot. The majority of the circumstances however, are consistent. Based on the testimonies, it is reasonable to assume that the pilot referred to by the witnesses Moreover, he probably did not survive the crash. Both the U.S. and Russian sides continue to search for additional archival documentation that may confirm this assessment.
F-86 2 September 1951 Summary of Incident. On 2 September 1951, F-86 was shot down over North Korea. He radioed that he was going to try to reach the northwest coast of Korea and bail out over water. According to Air Force casualty reports, another member of the flight observed him parachuting from the damaged F-86 near the mouth of the Ch’ongchongang River. The observer circled above and watched as the chute hit the water. Air Rescue units were alerted and an aerial search was immediately initiated. No trace of the missing officer could be found, but during the search an unidentified launch was seen in the vicinity of where parachute was last sighted. An additional witness states that he observed the aircraft as it hit the water and did not see bail out nor his parachute. is listed as POW/BNR on the CILHI Korean War Data Base.26 Personnel Involved. POW/BNR Archival Records Russian. Soviet Operational Summary Number 0277 of the Headquarters, 64th Fighter Corps for 2 September 1951, reports that six F-86 aircraft were shot down that day. The summary states, “The 17th Fighter Regiment encountered 10 F-86s at 10,000 meters in the region of Syukusen at 1035 hours. As a result of the attack conducted against the enemy fighters by the regiment, Major Pulov27 shot one down...One F-86, according to crew observations, scattered in the air.”28 26 In a recent study, POW/MIA Archive Research Project: Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Berlin, Volume 1: Moscow Research (DFI International, Washington D.C., 1995) Paul Cole suggests that casualty status be changed from MIA to POW/BNR. However, U.S. records indicate that status is POW/BNR. 27 Major Pulov is currently living in the Moscow area but is very ill. JCSD will attempt to interview him.28 Paul Cole also indicates that an illegible word in the Russian document might be “Bailed out”. Asstated above, the actual translation reads, “F-86... SCATTERED in the air. 68 U.S. An intelligence report received from the Commanding General, Far East Air Forces, in November 1951, reveals that was believed to have been rescued by persons aboard a large power boat observed at the time of the search. The report further stated that this craft was known to be operated by the enemy. 29Current Status There is obviously conflicting evidence in this case. The Russian side of the Commission has been asked to provide all search reports and any additional information on this incident. In light of the circumstances, the possibility cannot be excluded that survived the crash. To date, no further information has been found. 29 The following was noted in AFM 200-25, “...inquiry regarding the validity of the above report [boatsighting] revealed that the information may have been in error since purported source of the information had no record of subject being picked up by a Communist power boat.”
B-29 SHOT DOWN 23 OCTOBER 1951 Summary of Incident.
B-29 was shot down on 23 October 1951 over Korea. The aircraft
caught fire four are MIA/BNR. Personnel Involved. Unaccounted for: Black, Wayne forest MIA Foulks, James Arch MIA MOORADIAN, Ara, CPT MIA FUEHRER, Alois, SGT MIA ____________________POW/BNR BOTTER, William, SSG
POW/BNR
Accounted for: WENTWORTH, Lloyd, LT RMC KISSER, Kenneth, SSG RMC STRINE, John, SSG RMC JONES, James, SGT RMC MacCLEAN, Gerald, SGT RMC BEISSNER, Fred, LT Rescued COFFEY, Arthur, CPL KIA Archival Records Russian. TFR 138-86: TFR 138 is a 300 plus page document consisting of operational summaries from the Soviet 64th Fighter Aviation Corps. This unit, based in North Korea, was responsible for many of our shoot downs. TFR 138-86 is a report from 23 October 1951. This report mentions the shoot down of two B-29s on that day. The report states that both aircraft crashed and the crew of one perished. Unfortunately, no further details are given as to the disposition of the crew on the other aircraft or remains of the perished crew. U.S. USAF records as stated above in summary. Personal Accounts The following information pertains to LT Ara Mooradian , a missing crew member from the same B-29 incident as _________________. On 27 October 1992, TFR-Moscow interviewed Nikolay D. Kazersky, a 1950-51 inmate of the Zimka labor camp in the Komi ASSR. Kazersky told of his contact in 1952 or 1953 with an American pilot from California shot down over North Korea and forced down over Vladivostok. He stated that the pilot said there had been a crew of three. Kazersky described him as about age 30, slender, dark hair and complexion, and of southern European background. He also had a small oval scar on one of his cheeks. TFR provided this information to the Air Force Casualty Office which concluded that LT Mooradian came closest to the description based on biographical information. The following information on Mooradian corresponded to Kazersky’s information: 1. His shoot down date would have placed him in the camp at that time. 2. He fit the physical description. 3. The ethnic tag could also apply to an Armenian. 4. Born in California.
Information that did not correspond: 1. His aircraft was shot down over the Bay of Korea, on the opposite side of the peninsula from Vladivostok. 2. He was the bombardier rather than the pilot. 3. There were 13 in his crew rather than three. Current Status The U.S. side of the Joint Commission has asked the Russians to provide any additional information they have concerning this incident. Unfortunately, there is not enough evidence to arrive at any firm conclusions. To date, no additional information has been provided.
F-84 23 October 1951 Summary of Incident. On 23 October 1951, the F-84 piloted by departed Taegu Air Base for a bomber escort mission over NW Korea. Upon approaching the target area, two MiG-15s were encountered and attacked the planes. The flight was returning to escort position when F-84 was attacked. A garbled message was received from at this time and flames were observed coming out from under his aircraft. The aircraft was out of control. Efforts to contact were to no avail. Circumstances prevented continuous observation and the aircraft was lost from view was not seen to leave the aircraft during the brief period of observation. No organized ground search could be conducted since the incident occurred in enemy territory. Personnel Involved. MIA Archival Records Russian. TFR 76-26: The Russian side has provided to the U. S. side a document listing the personal effects of . This document is entitled “List of Captured Documents” These items have been verified as belonging to . Included on the list of items were an identification card, pilots license, and aviators qualification all in his name. According to the Russian’s, in several cases where the pilot perished, those personal documents (i.e. ID card, ration card etc.) found intact at the crash site were gathered and sent through an interrogation point for processing. There is little reason to doubt this statement as it is common practice in the U.S. and NATO militaries as well. The Russian side maintains that perished and only his personal effects transited an interrogation point.60 60 When this list of documents, TFR 76-26, was given to the U.S. side, it was attached to a cover sheet stating, “documents taken from a dead American flier ULLRIKH KHALBER”, TFR 76-25. (see UNRUH, Halbert file) Neither a cover sheet for nor additional documents for Unruh have been provided. 112 U.S. name appears in the 77 page document entitled The Transfer of U.S. Korean War POWs to the Soviet Union. This document is actually a collection of studies and hypotheses compiled by the U.S. to use as a working tool. His name is mentioned in connection with a study conducted by TSGT Siedling as a Korean War POW on whom the Russian archives should contain information. Personal Accounts Task Force Russia members conducted a series of interviews with former Soviet Army Officer (Ret) Gennadii Semyenovich Donets. During the Korean War, Donets served as an Air Intelligence Officer in the combat operations center of the 64th IAK. Donets recalled personally seeing the ID card and other documents of an individual named “ .” Additionally, he recalled that the pilot “ ” perished in the crash. Current Status Both sides of the USRJC agree that based on Russian documents and testimonies, there is a high probability that perished in the crash.
TBM-3 21 December 1951 Summary of Incident. , USMC is currently listed on the CILHI Korean War data base as MIA-BNR. According to the USMC casualty report, status was changed to KIA-BNR due to evidence of death in 1953. This change is not reflected on current lists. It is likely that this evidence was the statements of repatriated crew members. was one of three crew members on a TBM-3 that was shot down on 21 December 1951. Two crew members survived the crash, were held as POWs and subsequently repatriated. Personnel Involved. Unaccounted for: MIA Accounted for: STILL, Richard L., LT RMC THRASH, William G., LTC RMC Archival Records Russian. The Russians have provided us with the interrogation reports of several U.S. servicemen captured in North Korea. These reports were forwarded to the Russians by the Chinese. The majority of these individuals have been repatriated. Among these reports was the testimony of one of crew members. According to the report, was “killed in the aircraft.” U.S. USAF records as stated above in summary Current Status Based on the witness statements of his own crew, it seems highly probable was killed in the aircraft.
F-86 10 February 1952 Summary of Incident. On 10 February 1952, the F-86 piloted by was shot down by fire from a MiG-15.16 “His aircraft went into a steep dive...Seconds later, the F-86 went into a series of lazy dives, climbs and spirals, and then crashed into the side of a hill approximately twelve miles northeast of Sonch’on. Although it appeared that the canopy had been jettisoned, the accompanying pilot was unable to determine whether had left his aircraft prior to the crash. Friendly aircraft searched the crash site but were unable to find any trace of the missing officer. Efforts to locate his parachute were also unsuccessful, the search being extremely difficult due to the background of snow covered terrain.” Personnel Involved. MIA (Information was obtained from Russian and Chinese sources. It should be noted that both the Russians and the Chinese have claimed credit for the shoot down.) Archival records Russian. None. U.S. According to F-86 Sabre, , who was expected to become the Korean War’s “ace of aces...the leading ace of the war”’ was killed on 10 February 1952. Other. A 1990 Beijing publication, Chinese Military Power Almanac, 1949-1989, reported that Chinese Korean War Volunteers’ (CVF) Battle Records stated that American ace was shot down by Zhang Jihui on 10 February 1952. A 1989 Korean War Logistic Work Experience Summary-Pictorial, endorsed by former Chinese President, Yang Shangkun, showed pictures of along side of a photo of his dog tags. The caption above the pictures stated, “Deceased American ace jet pilot picture and dog tag. was shot down by Zhang Jihui.” 38 A March 1953 book published by Chinese Youth Publication Press, Fearless Warrior of Our Great Nation, included an interview with Zhang Jihui, the Chinese pilot who claimed to have shot down , on the detail and the sequence of the shoot down. Furthermore, the article also discussed that the deceased pilot’s dog tags were found during a search of the F-86 crash site. Personal Accounts According to Colonel Germon,17 was shot down and killed shortly after he had shot down two Soviet MiGs. “At the sight of the crash,” Germon added, “besides documents the search team found his pistol. It is quite possible that he was shot down by Mikhail A. Averin.” Lt Gen. Georgii Lobov, commander of the 64th Air Corps, noted in his memoirs, “Our pilots shot down... , the top American ace of the war at the time (killed).” Additional Information (April 1995) Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), United States Division Deputy Chief conveyed the results of a Chinese investigation on this case. He said that had been shot down by Zhang Jihui in air combat on 10 February 1952. His plane crashed into the side of a hill. had been found dead at the crash site. The Chinese MFA did not think that the Chinese had been involved in handling the body...The Chinese had looked at the plane and a Chinese person had found articles at the crash site. An American Air Force Ribbon found at the site is on display in an exhibit hall in Anyang City. The Chinese MFA was unable to locate the dog tag depicted in the photograph. (August 1995) A member of the U.S. Consulate Shenyang reported that . dog tags are on display at the Dandong Korean War Museum. The tag is exhibited with photos of an American reported to be , articles said to be taken from him or his aircraft and pieces of wreckage said to be from the F-86 he was flying. 16 rank at the time of the incident was Major. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel whileMIA. 17 Paul Cole, POW/MIA Archive Research Project: Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, andBerlin, Volume I: Moscow Research (DFI International, Washington D.C., 1995) Askold Germon- Retired Soviet Air Force Colonel. 39 Current Status Several independent sources confirm the shoot down of on 10 February 1952. There is no direct evidence from Russian archives that confirms that was killed in the crash of his F-86. Although Chinese and Korean sources testify that was killed in the crash, it should be noted that both the Russians and the Chinese have claimed credit for this kill. Moreover, the discovery of dog tags and personal effects in a Chinese museum leads one to believe that additional information on the fate of may be available. The Commission continues to investigate this case.
B-26 4 April 1952 Summary of Incident. On 4 April 1952 at 0108 hours, a B-26 with as the navigator departed Kunsan Airdrome, South Korea to perform a night combat mission. The aircraft arrived in the target area and reported to ground control that the mission could not be accomplished because of unfavorable weather conditions. Shortly after, at 0330 hours the control station again established radio contact with the B-26 and assigned it an alternate target. This was the last communication. The crew was reported missing in action when the aircraft failed to return to the base. Personnel Involved. VAN FLEET, James Alward Jr., LT MIA MIA MIA Archival Records Russian. None U.S. A report dated 26 May 1952 from Air Intelligence indicates “that a twin (engine) U. N. bomber crashed in the vicinity of Haeju at dawn on 4 April 1952. Records reveal that the subject B-26 was the only Air Force plane lost on that date. The intelligence report further indicates that an inhabitant of the area stated he observed the remains of one American lying thirty meters from the crash site...He had no knowledge of the fate of the other crew members or the identity of the deceased...” Personal Accounts Donets. On 22 June 1994, Task Force Russia members held an interview with former Soviet Army Captain (Ret) Gennadii Semyenovich Donets. Donets had served as the Air Intelligence Officer in the combat operations center of the 64th IAK. Donets recalled hearing that the B-26 Bomber piloted by LT James Van Fleet (son of General Van Fleet) was intercepted and shot down during a bombing mission and that the entire crew had perished. was a crew member of this B-26. Gennadii Donets is considered by some to be a credible and knowledgeable source of information. His 85 statements track with the facts as recorded by U. S. sources. Collectively, these events are highly suggestive of the fact that and the entire crew of this B-26 perished. Ananchenko. A recent interview by JCSD-Moscow has uncovered information that may indirectly be related to this case. The following information pertains to LT Van Fleet, the pilot of the B- 26 on which was a crew member. A former MVD Lieutenant Ananchenko informed JCSD personnel that in 1956, he was involved in escorting a group of prisoners from one Soviet camp to another Soviet camp. Ananchenko was told by the operations officer that one of the prisoners claimed to be the son of an American four star General. Ananchenko believed he was a spy who came to the Soviet Union during WWII and was captured. The U.S. researched all four star generals in the U.S. Army starting from Pershing and the only one that had a son who is listed as MIA was General James Van Fleet, Sr.42 LT James Alford Van Fleet, Jr., son of General Van Fleet, graduated from West Point in 1949. This would make him approximately 28 years old in 1956. Ananchenko, who was approximately 25 in 1956 when this incident took place, recalls that the American prisoner was about his age or a few years older. Current Status There is insufficient evidence at this point to come to any firm conclusions about the fate of , LT Van Fleet or any other member of the crew. The Russians have been asked to provide any information regarding this case. To date, we have received no Russian archival records regarding this case. JCSD has investigated Ananchenko’s statement, however, the information can not be verified at this time. 42 General Van Fleet was the Commander of the Eighth Army in Korea and later Commander of theFar East Command.
F-86 13 April 1952 Summary of Incident. On 13 April 1952 after radioing that his F-86 had been hit, was seen heading south toward the Yellow Sea. Repeated efforts to contact him were to no avail. Minutes after the last radio message, the pilot of a friendly aircraft observed a huge splash in the waters of the Yellow Sea, followed by an oil slick. Subsequent search of the reported crash area failed to reveal any trace of the missing officer or his aircraft. Personnel Involved. MIA Archival Records Russian. TFR 16: We believe the name of appears on two documents provided to the U.S. side of the Commission by the Russians. In 1992, JCSD received a list of 59 names compiled by the Russians entitled List of United States Air Force Personnel, Shot Down in Aerial Combat or by Anti-Aircraft Artillery During Military Operations in Korea and Transited Through an Interrogation Point. All but one name on the list of 59 names were identified shortly after the list was received, despite the garbling of most names during transliteration from English to Korean to Russian and back into English. The unidentified name was “MAJ Dzhilliam.” The Russians subsequently provided the U.S. side with the documents that the list of 59 was based upon. They have referred to these documents as interrogation reports. However, in some cases, the “interrogation” document was not an interrogation report per se, but a list of personal effects. The Russian explanation for this is that in several cases where the pilot perished, those personal documents (i.e. ID card, ration card etc.) found intact at the crash site were gathered and sent through an interrogation point for processing. There is little reason to doubt this statement as it is common practice in the U.S. and NATO militaries as well. Entry # 26 on this list states, “14 April 1952...51st Wing...Major Dzhilliam, Chief Operations Department...Pilot died in the area 50 km north of Andung.” TFR 76-42: This document is a list of personal effects entitled, “Documents from Major Dzhilliam, the Chief of the Operations Section of the 51st Wing. He was shot down by a MiG-15 on 14 135 APR 52 over the territory of the Peoples Republic of Korea in an area 50 km north of An’dun.” The 6th entry on the list is “ a photo of the deceased Major Dzhilliam and the plane he was shot down in.” U.S. The two Russian documents identified “Dzhilliam’s” rank, unit, duty position, date of shoot down, and area of shoot down. When compared with U.S. records, each of these references correlates with . Moreover, is the only casualty on or about this shoot down date that matches any of the information on the Russian list. The U.S. has since regarded this name as . Current Status Both documents describe “Dzhilliam” as having perished in the crash. Based on this analysis, both sides of the USRJC agree the evidence is highly suggestive of the fact that perished in the crash.
F-86 3 May 1952 Summary of Incident. was a member of a two plane flight of F-86 aircraft which departed for a combat fighter mission on 3 May 1952. During an engagement with enemy aircraft, aircraft was seen by the flight leader to dive away from an enemy MiG and execute evasive maneuvers at an extremely low altitude. was informed of his low altitude and instructed to pull up. Immediately thereafter he leveled the wings of the F-86 which then struck the surface of the water in a low-angle high-speed glide approximately 3 miles off shore near the mouth of the Yalu River. According to the flight leader, F-86 hit the water at too great a speed for a safe ditching. Enemy aircraft forced the leader to leave the area. Prior to his departure, he did not see abandon the F-86 nor the aircraft sink beneath the water. Later in the day, search aircraft returned to the site of the crash-landing. North Korean surface craft were observed in the vicinity, but no trace of or his aircraft were found. Personnel Involved. MIA Archival Records Russian. TFR 284: Operational Summary number 00124 of the Soviet 64th IAK for 3 May 1952 contains direct evidence concerning . The information in the Russian document describing the shoot down of is consistent with USAF data. According to the document, “Senior Lieutenant Mazikin saw 2 F-86s ahead of him, which were pursuing one MiG-15 at 16:38 at the approach to the Myaogou airfield. Senior Lieutenant Mazikin attacked the enemy and shot down one F-86...The body of a pilot was found in the remains of one of the F-86s shot down in the area of Myaogou airfield. From documents, it has been established that the pilot is Captain Dzhil’bert Tenni who belonged to the 51st Fighter Air Group.” TFR 274: Operational Summary number 00132 of the Soviet 64th IAK for 11 May 1952 also mentions the shoot down of . According to part five of the document, “Captain Dzhil’bert of the 51st Group, who was shot down on 4 May, wrote in his log that ... (unrelated info.)” 115 TFR 76: The Russian side provided several documents listing the personal effects of pilots that were shot down. According to the Russians, the personal effects (i.e. ID card, license, money) found intact at the crash site were gathered and sent through an interrogation point for processing. In several cases, these documents state the fate of the pilot. There is little reason to doubt this statement as it is common practice. Document TFR 76-37,38 is entitled, “Documents from the F-86 flier CPT DZHIL’BERT Tenni shot down on 3 May 52 in the area of Myaogou Airfield (flier dead).” U.S. USAF records as stated above in summary. Personal Accounts In June 1994, Task Force Russia members and representatives from the Russian side of the Commission interviewed Russian Army Captain (Ret) Gennadii Semyenovich Donets who served as an air intelligence officer for the 64th IAK in Korea from 1950 - 1953. Donets recalled looking at the personal ID cards and other documents of someone named Tanney, Albert and another pilot. Additionally, he recalled hearing talk on the radio with other U.S. pilots before he crashed. According to Donets, the pilot ( )died when his aircraft crashed. Current Status Based on documents that we received from the Russians and testimony of former Russian officers, both sides of the USRJC agree that there is a high probability that died in the crash.
F-84 9 May 1952 Summary of Incident. On 9 May 1952, an F-84 piloted by was “hit by ground fire during a bomb run at an altitude between 1000 - 1500 feet. The aircraft burst into flames. Immediately thereafter, the aircraft exploded and was last seen burning on the ground. No radio contact was made, no chute observed.” Personnel Involved. KIA/BNR Archival Records Russian. TFR 138-133 to 137: TFR 138 is a 300 plus page document consisting of shoot down reports from units of the Soviet 64th IAK. Pages 133 to 137 contain “material concerning the F- 84 shot down on 9 May 1952...” The five pages include a photo copy of a data plate from the aircraft, a statement, a sketch of the crash site and fragments from an American map. According to the Russian document, this statement was “compiled at the crash site of an F-84. The aircraft crashed in the hills near the town of Tok-inri in the Rikhen district. The fuselage was flattened, the engine was smashed, the tail section was broken off and located 70 meters from the fuselage...The pilot burned with the aircraft, and local inhabitants buried his remains.” U.S. was the only F-84 pilot shot down on 9 May 1952 who is currently carried as KIA/BNR. Moreover, the data plate found by the Russians at the crash site lists the aircraft as type F-84E15RE. According to our records, was the only pilot flying an F-84E15RE. This fact alone excludes other pilots within that time frame.23 Current Status Both sides of the Commission agree that there is a high probability that perished in the crash and his remains were buried by local inhabitants. 23 This Russian document was originally associated with a shoot down that occurred on 8 May 1952.
B-26 31 May 1952 Summary of Incident. On 31 May 1952 at 1957 hours, a B-26 on which was a navigator departed South Korea to perform a night combat mission between Sinanju and the Yalu River in North Korea. Approximately one hour after departure, a routine report was received from the B-26 which revealed that it was experiencing no difficulty in flight and was proceeding on course to target area. No further contact was established with the B-26 and its crew was reported missing. Personnel Involved MIA MIA MIA Archival Records Russian. TFR 249 is a 23 page document that entirely pertains to this particular case. The following excerpt is from page one, TFR 249-1, of this document: “...A search group established that on 31 May 1952 a burning B-26 type aircraft passed at low altitude through the Sonchen region and crashed near the village An-Khari. The aircraft broke into pieces upon impact; the three-man crew perished and was buried by Korean citizens on the following day. The force of the impact scattered aircraft fragments in a 50 - 100 meter radius. At the crash, the search group gathered separate parts; documents; charred maps in English, scale 250000; plates from the plane and a pilot’s dog tag...” The subsequent pages contain inventories of documents found at the crash site, photographs of the crash site, a photo of the dog tag, statements, air plane parts, etc. TFR 249-5 states, “Copy of a Dog Tag of a Perished Pilot from the Downed Type B-26 Enemy Aircraft on 31 May 1952.” Below this title is a drawing of the dog tag of , the pilot, including serial number and blood type. 105 10 February 1994, The Washington Times ran an article that was quoted from Izvestiia, a Russian newspaper. The Russian article was the story of how the dog tags (probably the sketches) of were found in a military archive in Russia. The Russian article and TFR-249 contained the same information. U.S. USAF records as stated above in summary Current Status Based on the Russian report, photographs and physical evidence found in this case, there is little doubt that and the crew perished in the crash.
B-29 11 June 1952 Summary of Incident. According to USAF records, a B-29 (44-62183) was reported destroyed in a mid-air explosion and observed falling to earth in three burning sections. According to statements of 16 witnesses from accompanying aircraft, no parachutes were observed and the possibility of anyone surviving was small. However, at least one member of the crew, Anton Brom, survived the explosion, was held as a POW and subsequently repatriated. Personnel Involved. MIA MIA CPT BROM, Anton RMC MIA MIA MIA MIA MIA MIA MIA MIA MIA MIA Archival Records Russian. TFR 272: Russian Operational Summary No. 00613 from the Headquarters of the Soviet 64th IAK reports “the aircraft explosion and the retreat of two burning B-29s were observed by search light crews...according to Korean and Chinese comrades, one B-29 fell into the sea 20 km SE of Simni-do and exploded. Up to four cutters approached the area where the aircraft fell.” A second paragraph confirms that “During the night of 11 June 1952, night fighters shot down three B-29 aircraft and damaged one other. The corpses of 8 American pilots were found, as well as debris from one aircraft.” The following documents pertain to , a crew member of B-29 No. 44-62183. 52 TFR 16: name appears on a list of 59 names compiled by the Russians entitled List of United States Air Force Personnel, Shot Down in Aerial Combat or by Anti-Aircraft Artillery During Military Operations in Korea and Transited Through an Interrogation Point. Of the 59 names, two are duplicates and one is a non-American. The majority of the 56 U.S. servicemen on this list have been repatriated. is one of the five from this list who is still “unaccounted for.” The Russians subsequently provided the U.S. side with the documents that the list of 59 was based upon. They have referred to these documents as interrogation reports. However, in some cases, the “interrogation” document was not an interrogation report per se, but a list of personal effects. The Russian explanation for this is that in several cases where the pilot perished, those personal documents (i.e. ID card, ration card etc.) found intact at the crash site were gathered and sent through an interrogation point for processing. There is little reason to doubt this statement as it is common practice in the U.S. and NATO militaries as well. Entry # 24 on this list states, “10 June 1953... ” TFR 76-39: This document is a list of personal effects entitled, “Inventory of , a gunner from the 19th Bomber Group. Shot down in a B-29 by a MiG-15 the night of 10 June 1952.” Unfortunately, the fate of is not specified. U.S. USAF records as stated above in summary. Other. A passage in a Chinese book published by The Academy of Military Science History Department also confirms the B-29 shoot downs on the night of 10 June.21 Current Status The shoot downs mentioned in the Russian document correspond to the loss of two USAF B- 29s. Servicemen from both crews are still unaccounted for. Unfortunately, it cannot be determined with certainty, which aircraft and crew were found by the Russian search team. The Russians maintain that perished and only his personal documents transited an interrogation point. The Russian side of the USRJC has been asked to provide any documents that could clarify this case. To date, no additional information has been provided. 53 21 The War to Resist U. S. Aggression and Support Korea, Academy of Military Science HistoryDepartment (People’s Liberation Army) December 1990.
F-86 4 July 1952 LT AUSTIN BEETLE Summary of Incident.
USAF casualty records indicate that LT Austin Beetle, pilot of an F-86, almost immediately after ejecting over Chodo Island. He could not be recovered with grappling hooks used by United Nations (U.N.) forces although they were no more than 300 yards away when LT Beetle hit the water. Personnel Involved: Beetle, Austin, LT KIA Archival Records Russian. TFR 269: According to Operational Summary Number 00186 from the Soviet 64th IAK for 4 July 1952, an F-86 was shot down by Soviet MiGs. The summary reports, “At 1145, Captain Sevast’yonov’s group engaged and fired upon four F-86s near Chisyu-Bikhen. Two pilots fired on the enemy aircraft. Sr. Lieutenant Mishin shot down one F-86.” U.S. USAF records as stated above in summary. Current Status The Soviet account for the 1145 shoot down appears to be consistent with the loss of LT Beetle. LT Beetle’s status in CILHI data base is KIA/BNR.
F-86 1 August 1952 MAJOR FELIX ASLA, JR. Summary of Incident. On 1 August 1952, a MiG aircraft was seen chasing and firing on the F-86 piloted by Major Asla. His aircraft lost the left wing and was last seen spinning downward 15 miles southeast of Sakchu, North Korea (XE 8365). A subsequent aerial search of the area failed to reveal any trace of the missing pilot or his aircraft. No further information as to the fate of the pilot exists. The serial number of Major Asla’s F-86 was 51-2767. Personnel Involved. Asla, Felix Jr., MAJ MIA Archival Records: Russian. TFR 291: Operational Summary Number 00214 of the Headquarters of the Soviet 64th IAK dated 1 August 1952 states in Part V, “One of the downed F-86s fell 7 km southeast of Sakchu. The side number is USAF 12267, the ... fuselage was marked with 9 stars... The aircraft was destroyed, the pilot perished and his identity cannot be established.”
mistakenly recorded as “12267” in the Russian document. (51-2767 would have been displayed on the tail as 12767. It was common practice to shorten the tail numbers by omitting the first number in the production year). All other information in the Russian and U.S. records agrees.
Additional Information. The U.S. received from a British source, a copy of a photograph alleged to be the remains of Major Asla. It is a gruesome photograph leaving no doubt that the individual pictured perished in the crash. The British source said he obtained the photograph from the Russian archives at Podol’sk. It is believed to be the remains of Major Asla because accompanying the photograph were other photographs of an aircraft wreck. The tail number of the aircraft shown in one of the accompanying photographs is that of the aircraft flown by Major Asla (12767). There is also a photograph of the fuselage showing the nine red stars as mentioned in the operational summary.
A copy of this photograph was sent to CILHI with a request that a forensic specialist at CILHI attempt to verify that the remains are Major Asla’s. On 18 January 1996, CILHI informed the U.S. that “it is not possible to exclude or confirm that the remains depicted in this photograph ...are those of Major Felix Asla, Jr., 16568 A, U.S. Air Force.”
Based on the Russian documents and photographs, both sides of the USRJC agree that there is a high probability that Major Asla perished in the crash.
F-86 22 August 1952 Summary of Incident. On 22 August 1952, departed from Suwon Air Base for the Chong Chong Gang River. At approximately 1047 hours, the F-86s patrolling at more than 37,000 feet were attacked by MiGs. last known location was YD 5099. Personnel Involved. MIA Archival Records Russian. Operational Summary No. 00202 of the Soviet 64th IAK for 22 August 1952 states, “Flights completed their mission in the area of Kajsen, Anju and Dzyunsen. Captain Frolov’s flight encountered and engaged six F-86s at 0950 hours at 37,350 feet...Two pilots shot at the enemy aircraft. Senior Lt (Ignatov?) shot down one F-86 from a distance of 500-600 meters...The enemy aircraft crashed in the area of Kajsen; the (aircraft) remains were found; the pilot perished.” U.S. USAF records as stated above in summary. Personal Accounts This case has been associated with an interview of a retired Soviet Colonel. According to Paul Cole, POW/MIA Archive Research Project...Volume I: Moscow Research (DFI International), status should be changed from MIA to POW based on a personal account. During a 1992 interview, Soviet veterans Col. Georgi Plotnikov and Col. Valentin Sozinov recalled, “The name Major Delit came up in my conversation with Lobov. I don’t know what his position is. But he (Delit) also ejected and was captured, then escorted somewhere...” It is clear from further reading of the interview transcript that the veterans were not certain of the name of the individual nor whether or not he was ever a POW. The only information they seemed to have was the fact that the person allegedly mentioned by Lobov was a Major. It should be emphasized that this information was based on second hand hearsay. The individuals interviewed had no direct knowledge of this information. The USRJC has investigated this case and has found no evidence that suggests these incidents or names are related. 43 Current Status Based on the positive association between the U.S. and Russian data on the day, time, geographic location, and circumstances, there is significant evidence that the Russian records describe the shoot down of . Moreover, |