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-   -   S/Sgt William C. Barber - 26 March 1944 - Broadway - L-1 (http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=51522)

Leendert 8th July 2018 21:35

S/Sgt William C. Barber - 26 March 1944 - Broadway - L-1
 
In the Dec 1961 Ex-CBI-Roundup magazine it says at bottom of p. 13 that liaison pilot S/Sgt (William C.) Barber was killed in his taxiing L-1 at Broadway airstrip, Burma, when base was attacked by Zeros (http://www.ex-cbi-roundup.com/docume...1_december.pdf). This was on 26 March 1944.

Remarkably this 1st Air Commando L-1 pilot still is on the MIA list (http://www.dpaa.mil/Portals/85/Docum...ir_forces.html) His name is on the Manila Memorial.

It may mean that somehow his remains could not be recovered post war?

Wondering about full name of injured Sgt. Cowen as well.

Thanks for any info.

Regards,

Leendert

RSwank 8th July 2018 21:58

Re: S/Sgt William C. Barber - 26 March 1944 - Broadway - L-1
 
Cowen was Frank Cowen. More details on the attack here on page 12 (see March 25th entry). Not sure why the date is different.

It also may be that remains were recovered but could not be identified as Barber post war.


http://www.ex-cbi-roundup.com/docume...0_february.pdf


There is also mention of the attack on this link but search for "Cowan". It describes how both men were taken to a doctor on base. That would suggest possibly that Barber's body was pretty much intact (not burned up for example).

http://www.cbi-history.com/part_vi_1...mando_gp2.html

25Kingman49 9th July 2018 21:58

Re: S/Sgt William C. Barber - 26 March 1944 - Broadway - L-1
 
interesting query as to why S/Sgt William C. Barber is still listed as not recovered.

NARA KIA Cert https://www.wwiimemorial.com/Registr...oreeID=1113108

Oddly there are two findagrave listing for this veteran.

This one generated by CWGC/ABMC has his KIA date as 26 Jul 1944 (likely incorrect but why?)
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...lliam-c-barber

This one offers a more accurate KIA date and veteran bio but offers little further detail and adds "body not recoverable" (but why, given the account Rolland discovered?)
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...carroll-barber

S/Sgt William Carroll Barber was killed at the Advanced Landing Field (forward Airfield) code name "Broadway", early images of this "temporary" Air Field here http://ww2today.com/10-may-1944-buil...r-the-chindits

This airfield was located about 175 miles southeast of Ledo, India, see map attached (rather in the middle of nowhere). It might be possible that "Graves Registration" could not find the grave of S/Sgt Barber after hostilities ended, or as Rolland suggested, could not positively identify his remains (if in fact recovered).

Leendert 11th July 2018 09:21

Re: S/Sgt William C. Barber - 26 March 1944 - Broadway - L-1
 
Thanks for your informative replies.

Apparently the situation is the same for S/Sgt William H. Neff, who collided with S/Sgt Ngon Tom on 10 Feb 1944, with both killed.
Story on p. 11 in Ex-CBI-Roundup (first link in my above post) says Sgt Neff was only found four days later and was buried beside wreckage of plane.
Evidently his remains were not recovered or identified post war. He's also still on the MIA list, while his gravestone (Rock Island, Illinois) is a memorial. He's also on the Manila Memorial.

Regards,

Leendert

25Kingman49 18th July 2018 03:05

Re: S/Sgt William C. Barber - 26 March 1944 - Broadway - L-1
 
A "little" additional info added here for L-5 pilots S/Sgt's Tom and Neff, see:

S/Sgt Ngon Ting Tom
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/.../ngon-ting-tom

S/Sgt William Heath Neff
Rock Island National Cemetery (cenotaph)
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...iam-heath-neff

S/Sgt William Heath Neff
Manila American Cemetery and Memorial
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56771116

Some redundancy here for S/Sgt Neff; cenotaph vs remains not recovered.

References:
As referenced earlier Ex-CBI roundup 1961, p 11 http://www.ex-cbi-roundup.com/docume...1_december.pdf

Ex-CBI roundup 1966 (page 21, 22) http://www.ex-cbi-roundup.com/documents/1966_march.pdf


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