Rank and Name, Flight Officer Robert S. Appleby.
Unit/Placed in, 28th Bomber Squadron, 19th Bomber Group, (Very Heavy).
Camp Fukuhoka #1
Renamed March 1, 1943, Renamed FUKUOKA POW CAMP Main Camp
Over 1000 American, British, Dutch, Australian, Canadian and Norwegian POWs were interned at Camp #1 during those years. Nearly 200 of those died here. “I would like to emphasize that the Fukuhoka camp was without question, excepting the hell ships, the worst experience of all POW camps was first occupied by British (300 prisoners) Dutch (10 prisoners) and American civilians taken on Wake Island (4 prisoners). More than 100 deaths in the group occurred in 1943, on 19 June it was Destroyed by air raid. And Every airman in the camp was executed for their duty.
Robert is born approx. on July 17, 1924 in Rock Island, Illinois.
Father, Clarence B. Appleby.
Mother, Thelma I. (Forgie) Appleby.
Sister(s), Virginia E. and Iona. M. Appleby.
Brother(s), Laverne E. Appleby.
Robert enlisted the service in Iowa with service number # T-138893.
Charles ‘s Crew-members and their position on-board the plane a B-29 were,
1st Lt. James E. Hewitt Pilot * Executed as POW
F/O Gerald E. Boleyn Co pilot * Died in crash
F/O Charles S. Appleby Engineer *Executed as POW
1st Lt. John W. Gothie Bombardier * Died in crash
2nd Lt. Wayne A. Whitley Navigator * Died in crash
S/Sgt. Ben Thorton Radio Operator * Executed as POW
T/Sgt. William N. Andrews Radar Observer * Died in crash
Cpl. Robert J. Zancker Gunner * Died in crash
Cpl. Frederick A. Stearns Gunner * Executed as POW
Cpl. Martin W. O’Brien Jr. Central Fire Control * Died in crash
Cpl. Robert R. Sawdye Tail Gunner * Died in crash
Robert was on a mission to Omuta, Japan, when they were hit by Anti-Aircraft fire and crashed, the survivors made POW in Camp Fukuhoka and they were deliberately executed (beheaded) for the intention of surrender on Aug. 15, 1945, he is honored with an Air Medal, Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, WW II Victory Medal.
Robert is buried/mentioned at Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu County, Hawaii U.S.A.
Courts of the missing.
He also has a Memorial Grave at Rock Island National Cemetery
Rock Island, Rock Island County, Illinois, USA.
He also has a Memorial Grave at Oakdale Memorial Gardens, Davenport, Scott County, Iowa, USA.
Thanks to,
Jean Louis Vijgen, WW2-Pacific Website.
Air Force Info, Rolland Swank.
ABMC Website, https://abmc.gov
Navy Info, http://navylog.navymemorial.org
POW Info, http://www.mansell.com Dwight Rider and Wes injerd.
Family Info, https://www.familysearch.org
Marines Info, https://missingmarines.com/ Geoffrey Roecker
Info, https://www.pacificwrecks.com/
Medals Info, https://www.honorstates.org
Philippine Info, http://www.philippine-scouts.org/
Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com
For one of the planes in the 314th Wing, #42–94098 of the 28th Squadron, 19th Bombardment Group, this mission was only its fourth over Japan. The crew was still relatively green, having arrived in late June and having bombed Hiratsuka, a city southwest of Tokyo, on July 17 and two other cities by July 23. (FOOTNOTE: The crew was 1st Lt. James E. Hewitt, Pilot/Commander; 1st Lt. James W. Gothie, Bombardier; 2nd Lt. Wayne Whitley, Radar Officer; F/0 Charles S. Appleby, Navigator; F/0 Gerald E. Boleyn, Copilot; T/Sgt. William N. Andrews, Radio Operator; S/Sgt. Ben Thornton, Flight Engineer; Cpl. Robert J. Zancker, Central Fire Control; Cpl. Frederick A. Stearns, Tailgunner; Cpl. Martin W. O’Brien, Jr., Side Gunner; and Cpl. Robert A. Sawdye, Gunner. The observer, Capt. Louis W. Nelson, was a veteran bombardier who had completed twenty-five missions in Europe and went on this flight to assist Gothie. See “Testimony of Darrell O. Does,” enclosed in U.S. v Tomomori.)
Thanks to; POW Info, http://www.mansell.com
