Major William Horrigan USAAF Java PoW 1942
 

Major William Horrigan USAAF Java PoW 1942

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Hi guys

USAAF Major Bill Horrigan (0-20678), a former 19th BG pilot, attempted to fly a C-46 (or converted B-18?) from Java to Australia in early March 1942 (with two sick RAAF officers included as passengers), but was forced to ditch off the coast of Bali. All survived and were captured.

Is there an account by Horrigan in any American book/magazine/website?

Cheers
Brian

Re: Major William Horrigan USAAF Java PoW 1942
 

Can't have been a C-46. None in service in that area at that time

Re: Major William Horrigan USAAF Java PoW 1942
 

Not the loss account you seek but a little more about Major Horrigan (later Col. retired). Captured date is recorded as 24 Feb 1942.

Full name William Kienle Horrigan. He has passed 16 Oct 1992 (aged 79):
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...ienle-horrigan

Noted here departing Bandoeng Java (as a passenger) 7 Feb 1942 (rank Capt.)
http://www.lanbob.com/lanbob/FP-19BG...2-02JA-Feb.htm

POW Citation with limited personal data:
https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/98622

Initial PoW internment: Kyushu Island. Fukuoka POW Camp #2, Nagasaki. He was camp commander.
http://mansell.com/pow_resources/cam...01/Reports.htm

Major Horrigan, Fukuoka POW Camp #2; minor notation here; search Horrigan
http://www.axpow.org/bulletins/feb2008.pdf

There are two NARA POW records for Major Horrigan. Final POW internment at Hoten POW Camp (Mukden) Manchuria.

1) https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-...pg=1&rid=12857

2) https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-...g=1&rid=132436

Liberated:
On August 16, 1945, a six-man American OSS (Office of Strategic Services) team parachuted into Mukden to liberate the camp. Soviet troops entered Mukden a few days later and helped the evacuation of POWs. Two members of the OSS team also rescued high ranking Allied officers, including General Wainwright, held in Hsian about 150 miles northeast of Mukden.
Source http://www.us-japandialogueonpows.org/MukdenPOWcamp.htm

Newspapers.com was searched, finding no articles with content not already known.

Re: Major William Horrigan USAAF Java PoW 1942
 

A little more info here. I think that possibly his plane went down at the end of February, 1942 and he may have been captured the beginning of March. Too bad we can't seem to find his account, if it exists.


1st Half of article
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21512679/

2nd Half of article
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21512537/

Re: Major William Horrigan USAAF Java PoW 1942
 

Hi guys

Great response - many thanks.

If not C-46, what was it?

Keep it coming, please.

Cheers
Brian

Re: Major William Horrigan USAAF Java PoW 1942
 

What is the source of the data/information which you posted initially?

Re: Major William Horrigan USAAF Java PoW 1942
 

Found this account. (The flight path as described seems a little confusing.)

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/theo...ava-t1615.html

"MAJ Horrigan with CIV Gaylord Buchanan, my Father - FLT LT Val Morehouse RAAF, FLT LT Frank Wright RAAF, and 7 USAAC NCOs repaired a Bolo B-18 bomber (rigged as a transport) at Bandoeng on 6 Mar and tried to fly to Australia. They were seduced by the planet Venus having passed Surabaya, thinking it was a Japanese night fighter searchlight, tried to evade and ran out of fuel and landed on a beach near Semarang, were captured by two Dutch KNIL officers and turned over to the Japanese. It took my father 6 months to join the rest of 1 Sqn RAAF in bicycle camp, with no record of where he was. Does the LB docs have any mention of a RAAF FLT LT who may have been the guest of the Kempai Tai because he was the RAAF Operations Officer for the 1 and 8 Sqns for the retreat from Kota Baru?"

Re: Major William Horrigan USAAF Java PoW 1942
 

Brian,


Just to add to the confusion there is a 53 page file on A454 F/Lt Valdemar Morehouse, RAAF: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/Sear...aspx?B=1074676


Regards,


Dave

Re: Major William Horrigan USAAF Java PoW 1942
 

Wow!

I'll need some time to assimilate all this information

Many thanks

Brian

Re: Major William Horrigan USAAF Java PoW 1942
 

Here is the obit of Gaylord A Buchanan, who was mentioned as the civilian on the flight in post #7. It states the plane was a B-18.

https://www.deseretnews.com/article/...CHANAN-JR.html

Also an interesting story about him while a POW.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/21526845/

Re: Major William Horrigan USAAF Java PoW 1942
 

More excellent information, RSwank, thanks very much.

Now that we have established that the aircraft involved was a B-18, do we know its identity and from where it came?

Cheers
Brian

Re: Major William Horrigan USAAF Java PoW 1942
 

None in service anywhere at the time!
First C-46 was accepted 12 July 1942.

Cheers
Stig

Re: Major William Horrigan USAAF Java PoW 1942
 

There may be some info on this link:

http://lanbob.com/lanbob/H-42Auth/19-DIARY.htm

Two B-18s seem to be mentioned, 36-338 and 36-434. 36-338 seems to have been shot down with Major Straubel aboard. The fate of 36-434 is not exactly clear. It is mentioned on this link:
http://warbirdinformationexchange.or...c.php?p=459479


to have been destroyed on the ground sometime in February. "Maybe" it was the B-18 used by Horrigan.

Re: Major William Horrigan USAAF Java PoW 1942
 

Thanks again.

It seems likely therefore that 36-434 was the machine - but I'm still confused about the date.

My notes suggest 6 March, but another source says 24 February.

Cheers
Brian

Re: Major William Horrigan USAAF Java PoW 1942
 

Supplemental to Rolland's post #10, adding a face to this B-18 crew, and offers a new crash date (adding to the confusion) of 18 March 1942, captured/POW 19 March 1942.

GAYLORD ALEXANDER BUCHANAN, JR.

Buck received a medical discharge upon graduation, having lost his right foot in a subchaser accident the latter part of Second Class Year. He joined the Sperry Gyroscope Company and was sent to the South Pacific in October, 1941, as Sperry Representative to the Air Corps, R.A.F., R.A.A.F., R.N.Z.A.F., and Dutch Air Force. Buck was in Singapore when WW II started. Two days before Singapore surrendered, he flew to Java. As the Japanese swarmed into Bandoeng, Buck took off in a beat-up B-18 bomber for Australia. The plane crash- landed on the north coast of Java and all were taken prisoner the following day, March 19, 1942.

Buck spent over three and a half years in various P.O.W. camps with survivors from HOUSTON, PERCH, LANGLEY, POPE and several hundred Texas National Guardsmen. During this period, Buck constructed a small short-wave receiver in his artificial leg and was able to receive news broadcasts from around the world. Buck later received the Navy Bronze Star and citations from the British and Dutch Governments. After a post-war rehabilitation in Calcutta, he returned to New York and his work with Sperry. On December 23, 1945, Buck married Esther Clark Montgomery, M.D.

Buck resigned as Sales Representative to the Air Force at Sperry in March, 1949, and entered medical school at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. He received his M.D. in 1954. A rotating internship was followed by five years in General Practice. In March, 1960, he returned to the University of Utah for a residency in Anesthesiology, followed by a partnership in a group practicing at Holy Cross Hospital in Salt Lake City. Certification followed as a Fellow in the American College and as a Diplomate of the American Boards. While in active practice, Buck served as President of the Central Utah Medical Society, President of the Utah Society of Anesthesiologists, Chairman of the Holy Cross Hospital Anesthesiology Department and Clinical Instructor, University of Utah College of Medicine.

Following a divorce in 1973, Buck married LCDR Leanna Aretas Ruth, N.C., USN (Ret) on May 31, 1974. This culminated a romance that had started in high-school and had been interrupted by WWII. Plans for retirement came to fruition in December, 1977. Since then, Buck and Aretas have been enjoying the GOLDEN YEARS at 9329 South Sneddon Drive, Sandy, Utah 84070. Buck is still active in amateur radio as W7UG, and both enjoy frequent local desert trips and overseas jaunts.

Source: 2000, usna.com; SIXTIETH GRADUATION ANNIVERSARY OF THE CLASS OF 1940 Class Individual Biographies

Re: Major William Horrigan USAAF Java PoW 1942
 

Hi Scott

Many thanks for the latest contribution - we're getting there!

In my opinion, the suggested date of 18 March has to be incorrect.

Cheers
Brian

Re: Major William Horrigan USAAF Java PoW 1942
 

Brian,

I concur that the 18 March date is likely incorrect. It is also unclear who the author was for this USNA, Annapolis, MD bio for Gaylord A. Buchanan, Jr.

This account was found on ancestry.com It was noted as being published in 2000, so 6 years or so after Buchanan had passed. Perhaps I should not have added this content to this thread but it seemed to hold other pertinent content.

The NARA capture date of 24 Feb 1942 for Horrigan seems suspicious also, perhaps this was the date contact was lost with Java and Horrigan was presumed MIA/POW with the rapid invasion of Jap forces at Java.
https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-...g=1&rid=132436

The later date of 6 March seems more in line, offered in Rolland's post 7 with this account:
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/theo...ava-t1615.html
"MAJ Horrigan with CIV Gaylord Buchanan, my Father - FLT LT Val Morehouse RAAF, FLT LT Frank Wright RAAF, and 7 USAAC NCOs repaired a Bolo B-18 bomber (rigged as a transport) at Bandoeng on 6 Mar and tried to fly to Australia. They were seduced by the planet Venus having passed Surabaya, thinking it was a Japanese night fighter searchlight, tried to evade and ran out of fuel and landed on a beach near Semarang, were captured by two Dutch KNIL officers and turned over to the Japanese. It took my father 6 months to join the rest of 1 Sqn RAAF in bicycle camp, with no record of where he was. Does the LB docs have any mention of a RAAF FLT LT who may have been the guest of the Kempai Tai because he was the RAAF Operations Officer for the 1 and 8 Sqns for the retreat from Kota Baru?"

For me this is still not conclusive. Were they still repairing the B-18 on 6 march and tried to fly it out on a later date, or was this the date of departure with crash and capture a day or days later.

Perhaps more detail of this Flight/Crash/Capture event will yet be discovered.

Re: Major William Horrigan USAAF Java PoW 1942
 

I have just found a very interesting interview with John Wright. It is quite a long account of his life, but the key section for us starts in Part 4 of the tapes, around the 21:30 mark. John is in a hospital in Java and getting ready to be flown out in a B-18 piloted by a West Pointer. One of the other passengers has a wooden leg. Sound familiar? He describes the plane, the flight and later events in some detail.

http://australiansatwarfilmarchive.u...13-john-wright

Re: Major William Horrigan USAAF Java PoW 1942
 

Remarkable find, Rolland!

The Dutch surrendered Java to the Japs on 8 March 1942 https://www.history.com/this-day-in-...render-on-java according to this John Wright account “our” fight in question departed Bandung, Java, the day or night before; 6/7 March 1942. It appears the initial destination was Sumba, Island to refuel and pick up another P-40 downed USAAF pilot.

With the events after take-off from Bandung, Java the Island of Sumba, was no longer in range. Who knew the B-18 had landing gear locking pins which had to be manually removed before take-off to enable landing gear retraction once in the air. At any rate beyond not being able to retract the landing gear (severely reducing the planes range due to drag) this plane became “lost” or disoriented without navigational tools onboard on the southern coast of Java. Realizing this situation Major Horrigan cut across Java to the north coast hoping to refuel at Surabaya not yet captured by the Japs. Sadly once the north coast was reached Surabaya could not be found. The plane then crash-landed due to fuel starvation on a small sandy beach, not identified but likely west of Surabaya, Java.

The attached GEarth image with points of interest for this B-18 flight likely does not help much but hopefully offers some geographic reference aid. Such a sad story of lost hope as portrayed by John Wright, as they all were about to become Pacific POWs.

Re: Major William Horrigan USAAF Java PoW 1942
 

Scott, I think they crashed a little west of Semarang. Wright talks about walking to Kendal, which is some 10-15 miles west of Semarang. Not quite clear which direction they traveled along the beach to reach Kendal, but I suspect they did not walk very far.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ke...!4d110.1879106

Re: Major William Horrigan USAAF Java PoW 1942
 

Rolland, great followup!
The bay off Semarang makes sense reading further with the Wright description of walking to Kendal.

This whole evasion and escape mission is so sad with the plane crash landing half way back to Bandung. Little wonder why Wright describes the Horrigan reaction after the beach landing, having tears in his eyes over this failed escape attempt; So close yet so far...

I guess what is truly amazing is that so many aboard this plane survived the war in various Japanese POW camps to tell their stories after the war.

Re: Major William Horrigan USAAF Java PoW 1942
 

Scott and Rolland

What can I say? Great research, really well done!

I've yet to study John Wright's account, and am confused by the 'gaps' in the transcript.

I'm not very bright - anyone able to advise?

I'm only really interested in the B-18 saga.

Cheers
Brian

Re: Major William Horrigan USAAF Java PoW 1942
 

Brian, I am not sure what you mean by gaps in the transcript. Can you explain?

As far as the B-18 goes, it seems to me that the B-18 used was 36-434 which had been in fact written off in February, but was repaired enough to make the flight in March. The two ill RAF men on the flight were Val Morehouse first mentioned in post #7 and "John" Wright (aka Frank Wright) as was also mentioned in post #7. John Wright gives quite a detailed account of the B-18 flight and crash in his account. The plane was actually taxied into the sea by Horrigan after the landing on the beach. We don't seem to have yet identified any of the AAF NCOs on the fight and whether or not they survived captivity.

It might be interesting to try and contact Val's son Duncan Morehouse (See link in post #7) and see if he has any more info. I will try to do that.

UPDATE: Duncan is going to check his sources and will comment in a few days. (Frank Wright was Frank John Wright.)

Re: Major William Horrigan USAAF Java PoW 1942
 

Brian and Rolland,

It seems this thread is coming to a close with most of Brian's initial query answered although second hand not coming from an account directly from Horrigan. Still hoping his account will turn up as Horrigan had an extended USAF career not retiring until 31 May 1959.

Perhaps not necessary at this late point in this thread but found a little more background for Horrigan related to his command service in the PI. It is highly likely he held other below command positions earlier in his PI deployment.

1 June 1940 - 1 Sept 1940, CO; 20th Air Base Squadron, Nichols Field, PI

29 Aug 1941 - 31 Oct 1941, CO; 3rd Pursuit Squadron, Iba Airfield, PI

Source: https://usacac.army.mil/cac2/cgsc/ca...rofbattle3.pdf

1941? CO; 28th BS, 19th BG, difficult to determine location with this source perhaps; Batchelor, Australia or Singosari, Java.

Source:
http://ww35.usafunithistory.com/PDF/...0BOMB%20SQ.pdf

It seems Major Horrigan was last assigned as USAAF liaison officer to the Dutch Java Air Command in Bandung during Jan-Feb 42, according to Peter Boer in this link provided earlier by Rolland in post #7.
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/theo...ava-t1615.html

Still writing a bio for the Horrigan findagrave page/memorial, placed under my maintenance without request. It will likely not be brief.