AFPMP-12-E-3/RT/ns/42755
Rm 26                     2 Nov 53

AFPMP-12-E-3   704  Missing  (19 Nov 52)   SR&D Case   #474

MEMORANDUM FOR:      DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF, PERSONNEL

SUBJECT:                            Finding of Death

            1.    a.   persuant to the provision of the "Missing Persons Act", a full review has been made of the facts and circumstances set forth herein to determine whether the missing in action status of the following personnel may reasonably be continued after a year's absence, or terminated by a presumptive finding of death:

                   b.   The status of the four remaining members of the crew are not being considered herein since two of them, Major William F. Sawyer, (blacked out), Aircraft Commander, and First Lieutenant Allan R Winchester, (blacked out), were returned to military control and the remains of First Lieutenant Beverly A. Swingle, (blacked out), and Second Lieutenant Myron F. Sestak, (blacked out), were recovered.

            2.   a.   Circumstances:   The personnel listed were crew members of a B-29 which departed Yokota Air Base, Honshu, Japan, 1900 hours, 18 November 1952, to participate in a bombing mission over northern Korea.  The flight arrived in the assigned area without incident and proceeded to bomb the target, a supply dump at Sonchon.  Outbound from the target area, at approximately 0100 hours, 19 November, the subject B-29 was caught in a battery of enemy searchlights and was attacked by enemy fighters.  Hits were received in the number 2 and 3 engines and in the wing between the number 3 engine and the fuselage, starting an uncontrollable fire. The crew was alerted to bail out and the aircraft headed down the coast in an attempt to reach Ch'o-do, a friendly occupied island off the western coast of North Korea.  Radio contact with

AFPMP-12-E                          AFPMP-12                             AFPMP                            AFPDC

AFPMP-12-E-3      704 Missing   (19 Nov 52)    SR&D   Case   #474

other b-29's in the flight was maintained until the bail out order was given and all crew members aboard the damaged plane subsequently abandoned the aircraft near Ch'o-do.

                  b.   Search Efforts:   Aircraft and surface vessels were dispatched immediately to the bail out area on the early morning of 19 November.  However, shortly before daybreak they were driven from the scene by ground fire.  The search was resumed at dawn, extensive coverage being given throughout Ch'o-do and the surrounding water areas.  On the morning of 19 November, one of the crew members, Major Sawyer, unassisted reached friendly forces on Ch'o-do and another crew member, Lieutenant Winchester, was rescued from the sea between that island and Sokto, a small island near the mainland of North Korea.  In addition, the remains of two members were recovered, one of them, Lieutenant Swingle, being found off the coast of Ch'o-do and the other, Lieutenant Sestak, on the mainland of Korea where he had apparently successfully landed and subsequently died as a result of a bullet wound in the head.  Search planes sighted four parachutes at different points on Ch'o-do but no sign of life was witnessed and the identity of those using the parachutes could not be established.  Search and rescue operations were completed on 20 November 1952, all efforts proving fruitless in uncovering information concerning the ten missing crew members.

                  c.   Supplemental Information:   Major Sawyer, the aircraft commander, upon returning to military control, reported that the final decision to bail out was made when the fire was close to the gas tank and he feared the aircraft would explode.  The B-29 was then slightly over 4000 feet altitude and the entire crew successfully bailed out.  Major Sawyer was the last to leave the plane at approximately 2800 feet and shortly thereafter the B-29 made a slow turn to the left and hit the water approximately one-half mile north of the tip of Ch'o-do.  Major Sawyer landed on Ch'o-do and walked one and one half miles to join US forces.   He and Lieutenant Winchester, the only known survivors, had no knowledge as to the fate of the 10 missing crew members and to date no further information has been received concerning them.

             3.   Careful examination of the available evidence reveals that the 14 crew members of the B-29 parachuted near Ch'o-do, an island off the western coast of North Korea.  One of them, Major Sawyer, landed on the island; two others, Lieutenants Winchester and Swingle, landed in the water nearby; and a fourth member of the crew, Lieutenant Sestak, either landed on the mainland of Korea or reached the mainland soon after parachuting into the water.  The sighting of four parachutes on Ch'o-do during the search indicates that other crew members, in addition to Major Sawyer,

AFPMP-12-E-3      704 Missing   (19 Nov 52)    SR&D   Case   #474

may have been in the area.  While their identity is unknown, it is reasonable to assume that if they had survived the landing on the island, which was accessible to friendly forces, they would have been seen or heard from prior to this time.  This would also be true in the case of any other crew member had he landed in water and subsequently reached Ch'o-do.   The recovery of the remains of Lieutenant Sestak on the mainland of North Korea reveals that circumstances prevailed whereby other crew members may have also reached the mainland.  While Lieutenant Sestak apparently encountered enemy forces and was fatally wounded soon thereafter, it is conceivable that others in the area may have escaped his fate, been removed from the vicinity and became unreported prisoners of war.   However, the likelihood that they are still alive may now no longer reasonably be considered since none of them were repatriated, none were mentioned in repatriates' statements, and sufficient time has elapsed during which it is believed some word would have been received, providing they survived.  In view of the above and the absence of any information which would support a presumption of their continued survival, it is concluded that these 10 missing persons may now no longer reasonably be presumed to be alive.

            4.   It is recommended that, pursuant to the authority contained in Section 5, Public Law 490, 77th Congress, as amended, official casualty reports be issued stating that the missing in action status of the Air Force personnel listed in paragraph 1a, above has been terminated by a presumptive finding of death.  Further, that the casualty reports include a statement that, as provided by and for the purposes of the cited Act, death is presumed to have occurred on 20 November 1953, the day following the expiration of a year's absence in a missing in action status.  Death is held to have occurred while in pay and duty status, in line of duty, in flying pay status and was not the result of their own misconduct.

1 Attachment
   List of Source Material

(Illegible)                                  

Brig. Gen., USAF                          
Dep. Director of Military Personnel

AFPMP-12-E-3      704 Missing   (19 Nov 52)   SR&D   Case   #474

16 NOV 1953

                     Under authority delegated by the Secretary of the Air Force to the Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel, the above recommendation is approved.

(?).S. WETZEL     

Major General, USAF
Ass't Deputy Chief     
Personnel          

For and in       

(illegible)   

AFPMP-12-E-3      704 Missing   (19 Nov 52)   

1.     Casualty Messages:

        CAF  IN  86754, dated 19 November 1952  (324003)
        CAF  IN  86776, dated 19 November 1952  (324009)
        CAF  IN  86897, dated 19 November 1952  (325002)
        CAF  IN  87338, dated 20 November 1952  (326003)
        CAF  IN  87664, dated 21 November 1952  (326008)
        CAF  IN  88432, dated 24 November 1952  (329013)
        CAF  IN  89017, dated 26 November 1952  (331002)

2.     Supplemental Missing Report #663:  O/R AFPMP-12-E-3, Casualty Branch

3.     Ltr from FEAF, dated 21 Jul 1953,   Subj:  R&D of Status on Missing Personnel (w/2 Inds):  O/R AFPMP-12-E-3, Casualty Branch