POW/MIA Research Project:
Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Berlin
Volume 1: Moscow

CONTINUED - Pt. IV

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B.13. F-84 Shot Down April 12, 1953
 Operational Summary No.102 from the 64th Soviet IAK in Andung to Moscow for April 12, 1953 states, “at 1604, 8 MiG-15s from the 913th lAP (led by Captain Semenov), flying in the Bikhen region at 50m altitude, engaged 4 F-84s. 1 pilot, Captain Semenov, fired and shot down 1 F-84 at a distance of 800m on the target's rear aspect.”

According to USAF records, F-84 (No. 51-4854) pilot 1Lt. James Washington Wills, Jr. (20408 AF), went into a shallow bomb run on April 12, 1953. After approximately two seconds of the explosion of the bomb released by Wills, a second explosion was observed approximately 2000 feet ahead of the bomb burst A search of the area revealed burning wreckage of what appeared to be a crashed airplane. No parachute or sign of life was observed.

According to USAF records, F-84 (No. 51-1110A) pilot 1Lt. Lennard Owan Deluna (AO 2223617) was also shot down on April 12, 1953 at 19:51 hours during a night interdiction mission.

Conclusion: Of the two F- 84s reported to be shot down by Soviet forces on this day, U.S. and Soviet records are not consistent with the loss of 1Lt. Lennard Owan Deluna, whose current casualty status is MIA. Soviet records appear to be consistent with the loss of 1Lt. James W. Wills Jr. Wills who is carried as BNR in the Battle Monuments list and MIA in CILHI records. There was no report by wingmen flying with Wills, however, of enemy aircraft activity. [See F.11 and F.12.]


B.14. - 24. Interrogation of 11 B-29 Crew Members
 The B-29 case which appears in the 64th Soviet IAK daily operational summary (see B.8. above) was the subject of a 14-page telegram from General Slyusarev to Comrades Malinin and Batitski. 70 Slyusarev reported that eleven of the members of the B-29 crew shot down on July 24, 1952 had been interrogated by Soviet and Chinese forces. The Americans were interrogated, according to the telegram, were the following:

All of these servicemen were returned to US military control after the Armistice.

70. Deciphered Telegram Msg. No. 503826/sh, November 26, 1952.

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Of particular interest in this telegram is the line, “Representatives from the MGB USSR and China have arrived from Peking to conduct further prisoner interrogations, in order to gain more precise information... The interrogation will be continued in Pekton.” 71 Thus it is clear that the Soviet military permitted intelligence services to have access to American POWs and in this case invited them to participate. In addition, it is clear that Soviet intelligence organizations conducted these interrogations on North Korean territory.

Conclusion: The Russian side of the USRJC should be asked to provide the MGB records of the interrogation of this crew.


B.25-26. USAF BNR Cases from the July 4, 1952 B-29 Shoot Down
 In telegram No. 503826/sh discussed in B. 14-24, Slyusarev reported that two members of the B-29 crew died:

Conclusion: Both of these are MIA cases. The Russian side of the USRJC should be asked to provide information concerning the disposition of the remains of Albright and Mast. If the remains were buried at the crash site an effort could be made today to recover them. [See F.7 and F.8.]


B.27. Col. Robert R. Martin
 Enciphered telegram No. 406466/sh, which was sent to Deputy Chief of the Soviet General Staff Zakharov and copied to the entire Politburo, including Stalin, by Shytkov on July 24, 1950, raises an important issue. Shytkov reports that the commanding officer of the US 34th Infantry Regiment was captured. The four commanders of the 34th between June and July 1950 were the following:

Conclusion: The only commander of the 34th Infantry Regiment who is not accounted for is Robert R. Martin, whose current casualty status is MIA. [See F. 17.]


C Soviet-era Archive Data on POW/MIA Who May Have Died In Soviet Custody
 Soviet archive records include information concerning the death of at least one and perhaps two American servicemen who may have died in Soviet custody during the Korean War:

71. This appears to be a reference to the POW camp at Pyoktong.

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C.1 Charles E. McDonough
 According to USAF records, including the testimony of repatriated POW Captain Hamilton B. Shawe, the last American known to have seen Captain McDonough alive, McDonough's RB-45C (No. 48 015) departed Yakota Air Base, Japan, on December 4, 1950 for a combat reconnaissance mission over North Korea. 72 The Department of the Air Force described the route of the RB-45 as “Sinuiju eastward to Hoeryong along the North Korean border.” McDonough told Shawe the RB-45 was “jumped by five MiGs” over the Yalu River.

USAF records state with certainty that McDonough's RB-45 was shot down over North Korea. McDonough's 293 file states that the location of the shoot down was grid coordinate 6034-Il. McDonough's Case Status Card states that McDonough “parachuted into crash near Sinuiju.”

In a Soviet interrogation of McDonough previously obtained by DPMO, McDonough said the attack occurred “after lunch, about 2:00.... They shot us down near the Chusan [phonetic] at about 30,000 feet [9,000 meters]. One jet plane shot us down. The plane caught fire and all three crew members bailed out. I saw one run off, I don't know where the other went to, and I landed where the plane crashed.”

In the first of two Soviet cables obtained by DFI, 73 dated December 17, 1950, information concerning this RB-45 was sent from Belov to Shtemenko and Batitski. Belov reported,

Further, Belov reported that under interrogation McDonough said the RB-45 had been shot down at 30,000 feet [9000 meters]. McDonough is reported to have said the

72. The crew of the RB-45 included, in addition to McDonough, Colonel John R. Lovell, 924A; Captain Jules E. Young, A0800628; and co-pilot and 1Lieutenant James J. Picucci, A0928027. In a Soviet interrogation of McDonough previously obtained by DPMO, McDonough told the Soviets on December 18, 1950, “The type of [aircraft] I fly on is the RB-45. It has a crew of three.” There were four Americans on this RG-45 when it was shot down.
73. Both cables have been submitted in their entirety to DPMO previously by DFI. CDR Kurt Hoffman said that neither document was accepted as a formal submission to the USRJC, thus there are no TFR numbers.

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navigator landed and ran off. The radio operator disappeared but McDonough did not know where. There was no mention of the fourth man, Colonel John R. Lovell.

The following day, December 18, 1950, Krasovskii reported to Batiskii concerning McDonough,

Col. Orlov stated with no reference to primary source data, “On 4 December 1950 a B-45 was shot down in East Andung.” 74 McDonough's Soviet interrogation record refers to the shoot down location as near the Cusan (Chosin?) reservoir.

Conclusion: A clear discrepancy exists between Soviet and American records as to the location of the November 4, 1950 crash of RB-45 No. 8015. There is substantial reason to suspect that McDonough crashed in China and no doubt was interrogated by Soviet forces. This raises doubts whether McDonough was evading after capture or was in Soviet or Chinese custody for some or all of the time between the shoot down on the fourth and McDonough's appearance in Sinuiju on the fourteenth. McDonough appears to have died in Soviet custody or at least with a Soviet witness during transport to an undetermined location where, according to Soviet reporting, the unfinished interrogation was apparently scheduled to continue. [See D.2, F.14, and map at G.1.]


C.2 Captain Albert G. Tenney
 Russian sources have given three “official” versions of the fate of Captain Tenney: 1) Tenney died at Myaogou airfield; 2) Tenney died in the vicinity of Myaogou airfield; and 3) Soviet records contain no information concerning the fate of Captain Tenney.

Conclusion: Until the Russian side of the USRJC is able to resolve the contradictions in its own reporting, the possibility that Tenney was alive in Soviet custody cannot be excluded. [See F. 1.1.]


D. In formation Obtained from Soviet Veterans Associated With P0W/MIAs
 Information obtained from Soviet Air Force veterans may he associated by name with the following Korean War POW/MIA cases:

D.1. Captain William D. Crone
 According to DPMO's August 1993 study, The Transfer of U.S. Korean War POWs to the Soviet Union, Captain Crone was participating in a four aircraft combat mission in

74. Eighth Plenum, p. KW-2.

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the Sinuiju area of North Korea on June 18, 1951. Approximately 30 kilometers southeast of Sinuiju, the formation was attacked by eight enemy aircraft at 25,000 feet. Captain Crone was last seen in a 360 degree fight right turn. Circumstances of his loss could not be ascertained and an aerial search revealed no clues as to his fate. USAF casualty data pinpoint the time of the crash of Crone's aircraft at 11:30 hours.

Retired Soviet Air Force Colonel Askold Germon reported in May 1994 that he was able “to determine, with a reasonable degree of reliability, the fate of William D. Crone.” Working through a network of Soviet veterans and the Moscow Aviation Institute, Germon learned that on June 18, 1951 at 0946 local time in Korea, an American F-86 was rammed, or more likely was simply involved in a collision, during an air engagement with Soviet fighters. Both aircraft crashed as a result of the incident. The Soviet airman was able to parachute to safety, but the American was killed. 75 According to Germon, in all probability this American pilot was Captain Crone. Germon also noted that this incident was reported in the June 21, 1951 edition of Izvestiya. Other Soviet veterans have previously reported seeing Crone's identification card.

Conclusion: A discrepancy exists in USAF and Soviet records as to the rime of the crash of William Crone's F-86. USAF records are uncertain as to the circumstances of loss, thus the estimate of the time of the crash may not be accurate. [See F.3.)


D.2. Captain Charles E. McDonough
 In addition to the information obtained from Soviet archive sources, Soviet Air Force veterans provided the following information on the shoot down of McDonough's RB-45 on December 4, 1950.

Retired Soviet Air Force Colonel Askold Germon reported in April 1994 that a Captain Vidinskij was the pilot of one of four MiGs which attacked an USAF RB-45 at 11:35 hours on December 4, 1950. According to Germon's conversation with unnamed individuals writing a hook on the Korean War, one member of the RB-45's crew was seen leaving the stricken aircraft at 2,000 meters. According to this source, the RB-45 crashed 15 to 20 kilometers (9 to 12 miles) north of Ti-Sin (phonetic).

Col. Germon reported on May 27, 1994 additional information on the RB-45 case. According to Germon's sources, pilot A. F. Andrianov, who now lives in Moscow, received credit for shooting down the RB-45. The RB-45 was on a course from Mukden to Andung when it was intercepted. Participants in the engagement reported that they saw one American crew member parachute from the aircraft. According to Germon's conversation with the Soviet participants, the other members of the RB-45 crew were killed in the crash of the RB-45. According to Soviet documents, the wreckage of the RB-45 was collected by Soviet forces for shipment to the USSR.

In October 1994, DFI’s research team met with Alexander Fyodorovich Andrianov, who described the circumstances concerning the shoot down of the RB-45 on December

75. Germon reported in July 1994 that Crone “collided with a Soviet MiG piloted by Major Subbotin of the 176th Guards Aviation Regiment. The search group found Crone's photograph and other documents.”

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4, 1950. When it was detected, the RB-45 was flying “very fast” at an altitude of 10,000 meters (33,000 feet). A flight of four MiGs (a sveno), including Andrianov and Alexey Kurnosoy, were scrambled to intercept. 76 After approximately 80 to 100 kilometers, it seemed they would not be able to catch up with the faster American aircraft which had not yet reacted to the pursuing MiGs. When the MiGs were finally detected, the “RB-45 made a turn south to run for Japan.” The RB-45 was on a southeast course over China. The turn slowed down the RB-45 enough for the MiGs to come within firing range, approximately 15 kilometers north of Andung.

Each of the four MiGs opened fire and the RB-45 was hit by all of them. 77 The RB-45 caught fire and went into a tight spin. Andrianov tracked the aircraft down to 13,000 feet where he saw one parachute deploy. He circled around the parachute, contemplating opening fire on the crewman, but did not. During this time the RB-45 crashed, so Andrianov did not have visual contact with it the entire way down. Thought Andrianov heard that the entire crew on board was killed, he cannot categorically exclude the possibility that other parachutes appeared. Andrianov was by this time low on fuel and returned to Andung.

A deputy regimental political officer named Fironov interrogated the captured RB-45 pilot, Charles McDonough. Fironov noted that McDonough was heavily bandaged, in part because his mouth had been ripped apparently by the wind during the bail out. Fironov said McDonough was both “arrogant and courageous.” After being interrogated by Russians in Andung, McDonough was turned over to the North Koreans who transported him across the Yalu River to Sinuiju. Fironov said the North Koreans hung a sign around McDonough's neck stating he was a US war criminal, put him on display in a public square, and permitted a mob to beat McDonough to death. Andrianov could not recall any information concerning the disposition of the pilot's remains.

Conclusion; Soviet Air Force veterans confirm that only one member of the RB-45 crew was observed to parachute from the stricken aircraft. The veterans have offered no evidence of other survivors. The location of the crash of the RB-45, according to Soviet veterans, was China rather than North Korea as shown in USAF records. [See D.2, F. 14, and map at G.1.1


D.3. Major George A. Davis
 According to Col. Germon, Davis was shot down and killed shortly after he had shot down two Soviet MiGs. ‘At the sight of the crash,” Germon added, “besides documents the search team found his pistol. It is quite possible that he was shot down by Mikhail A. Averin.” Lt. Gen. Georgii Lobov, commander of the 64th air corps, noted in his memoirs, “Our pilots shot down... Maj. George A. Davis, the top American ace of the war at the time (killed).”

76. The flight leader according to Andrianov, was a pilot named Polopanov.
77. The four pilots could not determine who should receive credit for the kill, thus they drew cards for it. Whoever drew the Jack of Clubs would win. Andrianov won and thus received credit. Soviet pilots also received bonuses for shoot downs --3,000 rubles for an RB-45, 2,000 for a B-29, and 1,000 rubles for a fighter.

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According to the Battle Monuments list of Korean War BNR cases. According to CILHI records, Lt. Col. George A. Davis Jr. (13035A) was shot down on February 10, 1952. According to F-86 Sabre, Major George A. Davis, who was expected to become the Korean War's “ace of aces ... the leading ace of the war,” attacked a MiG formation at 32,000 feet (9,753m) near the Yalu, where he recorded his 13th and 14th MiG kills. During this engagement Davis was shot down by a MiG. 78 F-86 Sabre states that Davis was killed on February 10, 1952, during a mission near Uiju, south of the Yalu River, though there is no direct evidence pointing toward the fact of Davis's death.

USAF records indicate that Major Davis's wingman “followed him straight down and observed [Davis] pull up from dive and head southeast with wheels down and smoke coming from aircraft” after Davis was struck by MiG cannon fire near XE 3530. At XE 8070 Davis was observed to start “a large spiral to left and aircraft was seen to crash and burn at XE 8315.” The wingman “due to watching for enemy aircraft did not observe whether [Davis] bailed out or not. There was snow on the ground making it difficult to locate a parachute.”

Conclusion: Soviet data is consistent with USAF records on Lt. Col. George A. Davis. According to CILHI data, Lt. Col. George A. Davis Jr., whose crash date is February 10, 1952 and crash site reported to be at Anju, near the mouth of the Chong Chong River well south of Uiju, (coordinates 6233-IV or XE830150), is a Korean War MIA. According to USAF data, “due to the fact that the entire descent of Major Davis's aircraft was not observed and because of the difficulty of seeing a parachute against a background of snow that Major Davis should be continued in MIA status.” [See F. 16.]


D.4. Lt. Austin W. Beetle
 Soviet Air Force veterans reported to DFI in July 1994 that Beetle “apparently was a Black man and his plane was shot down. His plane had both Korean War and World War II stars on the cabin.’

According to USAF records, Lt. Beetle and his element leader, Captain Clifford D. Jolley, were engaged in an intense dogfight with several MiGs on July 4, 1952 near Sinuiju. Beetle (AO 840696, F-86 No. 50-683) was taking fire from a MiG which Jolley “slid in behind... and fired a short burst which ripped the right horizontal stabilizer off. The MiG immediately snapped over and spun in.” A few minutes later, Beetle reported that he “was hit bad. He was over the Yalu River mouth at 25,000 feet.” Both Jolley and Beetle, extremely low on fuel, steered toward Chodo Island. Jolley and Beetle both ejected. Jolley was plucked from the water by a South Korean rescue ship, taken to Chodo, then transported by helicopter to K-16 Air Base. Jolley reported that Beetle “balled out over Chodo Island and landed at SC 5668. An Air rescue SA-16 was 300 yards from Yellow Two when he hit the water and 100 yards from him when he went under. [Beetle] was dragged under almost immediately upon contact with the water,

78. Robert F. Dorr, (Osceola, WI: Motorbooks International Publishers, 1993), p.129. Maj. Davis, promoted posthumously to Lt. Col., was the only F-86 pilot to be awarded the Medal of Honor during the Korean War.

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apparently by his parachute. Crew members of the rescue aircraft used a grapple with no success.”

Conclusion: The information from the Soviet Air Force veterans matches that of Lt. Beetle. According to CILHI data, Beetle's casualty status is MIA. Beetle, who was born in 1916 and thus was old enough to have been in World War II, was a Caucasian. [See F.19.]


D.5. “Van Paul”
 Col. Germon reported in July 1994 that of the “15 or 16 men in the crew” of the RB-29 shot down in January 1953, “12 bailed out and the rest died. The name of one of the crew members killed was Van Paul. The pilot who shot down this airplane now lives in Kharkov.”

On January 13, 1953, USAF RB-29 (No. 44-62217) departed Yakota Air Base Japan for a “mission-classified” psychological fanfare leaflet drop. The RB-29 was shot down by enemy MiGs. On of the crew members, 1Lt. Paul E. Van Voorhis (AO 2091867), is currently an Korean War MIA case. (For additional information on this RB-29 incident, see the discussion of Col. John Arnold above.)

Conclusion Germon's information is consistent with the circumstances of loss for Paul Van Voorhis, whose current casualty status is MIA. [See related case at A.1.7, F.4, and map at C.1.1


E. Uncorrelated Information From Soviet Archives
 The following information from Soviet military archives concerning American aircraft shot down during the Korean War could not be correlated with data from U.S. archives. DFI International had neither the resources nor the access to relevant archive holdings in order to compare the following shoot downs to U.S. records. (All shoot downs were by aircraft unless noted as AAA.

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F. Change of Casualty Status Recommendations
 The first attempt to use Soviet AAA records in order to provide data on which the casualty basis of U.S. Korean War MIAs could be changed occurred in 1993. 79 A subsequent effort, which according to a Joint Commission member was also “the first time that we have been able to use both Russian and US records to resolve missing in action cases” using Soviet AAA battery records, was completed by June l994. 80 This section is an effort to use, for the first time, the daily operational summaries of the Soviet 64th Fighter Corps’ air combat operations either to resolve the fate of American POW/MIA cases or to recommend a change of casualty status.

The source of information on which this section is based, i.e. the records of the Soviet 64th Fighter Corps’ air combat operations, has not been made available elsewhere. It is worth recalling what USRJC member Col. Mukhin said about the operational summaries, “Regarding these dally journals, the combat journals as they're called, they are summaries of activities that occurred, like a historical document. I don't think that there will be much interest in them" 81 In contrast to Col. Mukhin's view, as shown in this report the operational summaries contain a vast amount of relevant data which provided the basis for the following recommendations for a change of casualty status.

The following POW/MIA cases are described in sufficient detail to warrant an examination of the data for the purpose of making an official change of casualty status.

F.1. Captain Albert Gilbert Tenney FROM: MIA TO: POW (BNR)
F.2. Major Deltis Fincher FROM: MIA TO: POW (BNR)
F.3. Captain William D. Crone FROM: MIA TO: KIA (BNR)
F.4. 1Lt. Paul E. Van Voorhis FROM: MIA TO: KIA (BNR)
F.5. 1Lt. Henry D. Weese FROM: MIA TO: KIA (BNR)

79.A report from Soviet AAA battery number 4510, November 23, 1951, was published in POW/MIA Issues: Volume I, The Korean War, pps. 119-120. The USAF personnel, carried as MIA in American records, who were reported dead in this report are the following: 1Lt. Jack A. Fisher (A0 2087035), Maj. Gordon K. Kahl (AO 04373 t7), and 1Lt. John Roumiguiere (A0 2221990). The Soviet records are consistent with USAF Field Search Case 753.
80. Minutes of the Korean War Working Group, Ninth Plenum of the USRJC on POW/MIA Affairs, 1-2 June 1994, p. 27.
81. Ninth Plenum report, p.41.

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F.6. Airman 1/c Alvin D. Hart, Jr. FROM: MIA TO: KIA (BNR)
F.7. S/Sgt. Clifford H. Mast FROM: POW (BNR) TO: KIA (BNR)
F.8. S/Sgt. Richard L. Albright. FROM: MIA TO: KIA (BNR)
F.9. 1Lt. Vance R. Frick Reconcile CILHI & USAF Data
F.10. B-29 Crew
F.10.1.1Lt. William K. Phillis FROM: MIA TO: KIA (BNR)
F. 10.2. 1Lt. Henry B. Kelley FROM: MIA TO: KIA (BNR)
F.10.3. 1Lt. Fred D. Bloesch FROM: MIA TO: KIA (BNR)
F.10.4. Capt. James A. Lowe FROM: MIA TO: KIA (BNR)
F.10.5. 1Lt. Spiro J. Peters FROM: MIA TO: KIA (BNR)
F.10.6. M/Sgt. Nelson M. Brown FROM: MIA TO: KIA (BNR)
F.10.7. A/1c James O. Trosclair FROM: MIA TO: KIA (BNR)
F. 10.8. A/1c Jimmie R. Hobday FROM: MIA TO: KIA (BNR)
F.10.9. A/1c James W. Kelly FROM: MIA TO: KIA (BNR)
F. 10.10. A/1c James R. Lebaron FROM: MIA TO: KIA(BNR)
F. 11. 1Lt. James Washington Wills, Jr. FROM: MIA TO: KIA(BNR)
F. 12. 1Lt. Lennard Owan Deluna FROM: MIA TO: KIA(BNR)
F.13. 1Lt. Robert F. Niemann FROM: MIA TO: POW (BNR)
F. 14. Captain Charles E. McDonough FROM: KIA (BNR) TO: POW (BNR)
F.15. Col. John R. Lovell FROM: KIA (BNR) TO: MIA
F.16. Lt. Col. George A. Davis FROM: MIA TO: POW (BNR)
F.17. Col. Robert R. Martin FROM: KIA (BNR) TO: POW (BNR)
F.18. Lt. Laurence C. Layton FROM: MIA TO: POW (BNR)
F. 19. 1Lt. Austin Beetle FROM: MIA TO: KIA(BNR)

F.1. Albert Gilbert Tenney
 The report of Tenney's loss was initially thought to have been deliberately distorted by his flight leader in order to conceal the fact that the USAF, in this case at least eight F-86s, was operating in Chinese airspace against standing orders. 82 This hypothesis could not be proven. Current information is consistent with the original description of the circumstances of Tenney's loss. Captain Tenney's lead that day, Captain William R.

82. F-86 ace Col. Harold Fischer said, ‘Pilots routinely did this during debriefings. There was no order from above. You just did this to avoid problems or even possibly being dismissed from the Air Force.” Discussion with Paul M. Cole, July 27, 1994.

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“Nuts” Nowadnick, stated on July 19, 1994, “I'll guarantee you the aircraft hit the water and Tenney was in it.” 83 Tenney's MIA status was based on the observation that his aircraft was not observed to sink, the impact on the water was not necessarily fatal, and there were North Korean surface vessels in the vicinity which could have captured Tenney. In addition, Lt. Col. Nowadnick (Ret.) said, ‘Tenney's plane had no battle damage. 37 millimeter cannon shells leave a pretty good mark. There wasn't a mark on the aircraft. I was no more than 25 feet away during the entire descent, maybe four minutes, before Tenney struck the water at something like Mach .9.”

Since Soviet records contain direct evidence concerning Tenney’ s death “in the vicinity of Myaogou field,” the prospect for a recovery and identification of these remains is greatly enhanced.

Based on the analysis of the information obtained by DFI concerning Captain Albert Gilbert Tenney, DFI recommends the following:

F.2. Deltis Fincher
 Recommendation: There is not a significant discrepancy between the circumstances of loss for Deltis Fincher as described in USAF and Soviet records. Soviet records, however, state with certainty that Fincher's F-86 was found and Fincher perished in the crash. There are adequate grounds on which to question the authenticity of the Soviet records of this incident, thus the casualty status of Major Deltis Fincher be changed from MIA to POW (BNR). The Russian side of the Joint Commission should be asked for information as to the disposition of Major Fincher in light of Lobov’ s statement that Fincher had been captured and transported to an undetermined location.


F.3. William Crone
 Recommendation: Unless there are adequate grounds on which to question the validity of the conclusion derived from Soviet Air Force veterans and the Moscow Aviation Institute, the casualty status of Captain William D. Crone should be changed from MIA to believed to be KIA (BNR).

83. Conversation with Paul M. Cole.
84. A complete set of Tenney’ s dental records, on which a positive identification may he based, exist and are available.

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F.4. 1Lt. Paul E. Van Voorhis
 Recommendation: Unless there are adequate grounds on which to challenge the veracity of the Soviet archive documents which state the precise number of bodies found in the crash of the USAF RB-29 shot down on January 13, 1953 and the veracity of the reporting from Soviet Air Force veterans who provided information that “Van Paul” was one of those killed in this crash, the casualty status of 1Lt. Paul E. Van Voorhis should be changed from MIA to KIA (BNR)


F.5. 1Lt. Henry D. Weese
 Recommendation: Unless there are adequate grounds on which to challenge the veracity of the Soviet reporting concerning number of bodies found in the crash of the USAF RB-29 shot down on January 13, 1953, the casualty status of 1Lt. Henry D. Weese should be changed from MIA to KIA (BNR)


F.6. Airman 1Class Alvin D. Hart, Jr.
 Recommendation: Unless there are adequate grounds on which to challenge the veracity of the Soviet reporting concerning number of bodies found in the crash of the USAF RB-29 shot down on January 13, 1953, the casualty status of Airman 1 Class Alvin D. Hart, Jr. should be changed from MIA to KIA (BNR)


F.7. Ssgt. Clifford H. Mast
 Recommendation: Unless there are adequate grounds on which to challenge the veracity of the Soviet reporting concerning number of bodies found in the crash of the USAF RB-29 shot down on July 4, 1952, the casualty status of Ssgt. Clifford H. Mast (AF19417343) should be changed from POW (BNR) to KIA (BNR).


F.8. Ssgt. Richard L. Albright
 Unless there are adequate grounds on which to challenge the veracity of the Soviet reporting concerning number of bodies found in the crash of the USAF RB-29 shot down on July 4, 1952, the casualty status of Ssgt. Richard L. Albright (AF1 8365010) should be changed from MIA to KIA (BNR).


F.9. 1Lt. Vance R. Frick
 Recommendation: Reconcile CILHI and USAF Casualty Office data.


F. 10. Five members of B-29 crew shot down September 13, 1952.
 Recommendation: Five of the following are confirmed dead in Soviet records. The original USAF report noted there was “no chance for survival” for the crew, though one crew member did survive. At a minimum the casualty status of five, and in view of the records perhaps all ten, of the following should be changed from MIA to KIA (BNR).

F. 10.1 1 Lt. William K. Phillis
F.10.2. 1Lt. Henry B. Kelley

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F.10.3. 1Lt. Fred D. Bloesch
F. 10.4. Capt. James A. Lowe
F.10.5. 1Lt. Spiro J. Peters
F.10.6. M/Sgt. Nelson M. Brown
F. 10.7. A/1c James O. Trosclair
F. 10.8. A/1c Jimmie R. Hobday
F. 10.9. A/1c James W. Kelly
F. 10.10. A/1c James R. Lebaron

F.11. 1Lt. James Washington Wills Jr.
 Recommendation: Unless there are grounds for disputing the veracity of USAF and Soviet records pertaining to this case, 1Lt. Wills should he reclassified from MIA to KIA (BNR).


F.12. 1Lt. Lennard Owan Deluna
 Recommendation: Unless there are grounds for disputing the veracity of USAF and Soviet records pertaining to this case, 1Lt. Deluna should he reclassified from MIA to KIA (BNR).


F.13. 1Lt. Robert F. Niemann
 Soviet records suggest and Soviet veterans confirm, that Niemann was alive, for an unknown period of time, after he was shot down over China. Soviet veterans confirm Niemann was alive long enough for Soviet forces to record the fact that Niemann refused to answer questions during interrogation. 85 Niemann's personal effects were collected by Soviet forces 86 and Niemann's name was included on a list prepared by the Russian side of the USRJC, List of US Air Force Personnel Shot Down in Aerial Combat or by Anti-Aircraft Artillery during Combat Operations in Korea and Transited Through an Interrogation Point. 87 Three Soviet and Russians sources--Soviet document, veterans, and the Russian side of the USRJC-- independently point toward the fact that Niemann survived the crash of his F-86 and was interrogated by Soviet forces.

Recommendation: Regardless of the actual location of the shoot down of 2Lt. Niemann, since the evidence strongly suggests that he was alive in enemy hands and since Soviet veterans of the Korean War have direct knowledge of Niemann alive in captivity, Niemann’ s casualty status should be changed from MIA to POW (BNR). The Russian side of the Joint Commission should he asked to provide further information on the Niemann case, particularly concerning the direct evidence of an interrogation record. Failing that

85. POW/MIA Issues; Volume I, The Korean War, p. 142. The Soviet officer responsible for preparing interrogation records said, “The interrogations were easy. The only case was that of Neimann who refused to answer any questions. He was wounded and that was the formal reason why he refused. He was in some hospital. He said it was a violation of some international laws. Of course they wanted to interrogate him, but then I never saw any materials of his interrogations.”
86. TFR 76~34
87. USAF analysis of he Korean War POW experience and Soviet records point toward the North Korean city of Sinuiju as the place referred to as “the interrogation point.”

VOLUME 1: MOSCOW

The Moscow Report Continued

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