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/