Nick,
Thank you. Yes, I have - yesterday. I thought the same until I discovered the article mentioned above based on letters he wrote home. He may have been telling a story for the folks back home, but then again who would write about being shell shocked if it was not true?
Today, I have tried to reach out to relatives as well, but as he emigrated (de facto in 1938) and died in 1950, it is unlikely that they know anything.
According to information from his application for veteran compensation he was assigned to 509th MSG, Maintenance Squadron in 1950, shortly before his death, cf. (had not realised there was a special subform for Pacific)
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=64836
Mikkel