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AMM3 Roy Russell Wells
Monument

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AMM3 Roy Russell Wells Veteran

Birth
Oklahoma, USA
Death
14 Feb 1943 (aged 19–20)
At Sea
Monument
Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines Add to Map
Plot
Tablets Of The Missing
Memorial ID
View Source
Having actually gone "Missing" on the above date, he was not officially declared by the military as being dead until December 10, 1945.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Roy served as a Aviation Machinist's Mate Third Class on a PB4Y-1 Liberator, U.S. Navy during World War II.

He resided in Texas prior to the war.

Roy was part of a bombing mission that included 9 PB4Y-1 Liberator's, 10 P-38 Lightnings, and twelve F4U Corsairs.

The 9 PB4Y-1 Liberator's, that were part of VB-101, took off from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal on a mission to bomb shipping in the Buin-Shortland area. The bombers scored several hits on enemy cargo ships including the Hitachi Maru and near misses on two others including Kisaragi Maru.

The entire group was attacked by 30 Japanese A6M Zeros & about 15 A6M2-N Rufes floatplanes. Two of the 9 PB4Y-1 Liberator's, 4 P-38G's, and 2 F4U-1 Corsair's were lost in this mission.

Roy was declared "Missing In Action" in this mission during the war.

He was awarded the "Distinguished Flying Cross" and the Purple Heart.

Service # 3604159

The PB4Y-1 Liberator was the Navy's version of the Army Air Force B-24.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This mission became known as the "Saint Valentines Day Massacre" since a total of 26 Navy and Air Force servicemen were lost.

Crew of Roy's PB4Y-1 Liberator:

Atkins, Frank E ~ AOM2c, SC
Bacon, Jay D, Jr Lt., Pilot, CA
Barber, William ~ ARM2c, CA
Betz, Frank L, Jr ~ ARM1, TX
Henderson, Jessie L ~ AMM1, AL
Kolazyk, Edmund J ~ Ens, NH
North, Norman L ~ AMM2c, FL
Walker, John M ~ AMM2c, GA
Ward, Oscar K ~ AP1C, CA
Wells, Roy R ~ AMM3c, TX
Zattera, Joseph H ~ AOM3c, CA

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

For the crew of the other PB4Y-1 Liberator see:

Cooper, Stuart T ~ Lt, Pilot, RI

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The four P-38G planes lost included:

Finkenstein, Joseph ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, CA
White, Donald G ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, KS

The two other P-38G's were lost however both the Pilots survived.

Pilot John R. Mulvey, Jr. was rescued and Pilot 2nd Lt. Wellman Howard Huey became a POW of the Japanese.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The 2 F4U-1 Corsair's lost included:

Lyon, Gordon L, Jr ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, MS
Stewart, Harold R ~ 2nd Lt, Pilot, AZ

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Bio, Family Links & Crew Reports by:
Russell S. "Russ" Pickett

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Having actually gone "Missing" on the above date, he was not officially declared by the military as being dead until December 10, 1945.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Roy served as a Aviation Machinist's Mate Third Class on a PB4Y-1 Liberator, U.S. Navy during World War II.

He resided in Texas prior to the war.

Roy was part of a bombing mission that included 9 PB4Y-1 Liberator's, 10 P-38 Lightnings, and twelve F4U Corsairs.

The 9 PB4Y-1 Liberator's, that were part of VB-101, took off from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal on a mission to bomb shipping in the Buin-Shortland area. The bombers scored several hits on enemy cargo ships including the Hitachi Maru and near misses on two others including Kisaragi Maru.

The entire group was attacked by 30 Japanese A6M Zeros & about 15 A6M2-N Rufes floatplanes. Two of the 9 PB4Y-1 Liberator's, 4 P-38G's, and 2 F4U-1 Corsair's were lost in this mission.

Roy was declared "Missing In Action" in this mission during the war.

He was awarded the "Distinguished Flying Cross" and the Purple Heart.

Service # 3604159

The PB4Y-1 Liberator was the Navy's version of the Army Air Force B-24.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This mission became known as the "Saint Valentines Day Massacre" since a total of 26 Navy and Air Force servicemen were lost.

Crew of Roy's PB4Y-1 Liberator:

Atkins, Frank E ~ AOM2c, SC
Bacon, Jay D, Jr Lt., Pilot, CA
Barber, William ~ ARM2c, CA
Betz, Frank L, Jr ~ ARM1, TX
Henderson, Jessie L ~ AMM1, AL
Kolazyk, Edmund J ~ Ens, NH
North, Norman L ~ AMM2c, FL
Walker, John M ~ AMM2c, GA
Ward, Oscar K ~ AP1C, CA
Wells, Roy R ~ AMM3c, TX
Zattera, Joseph H ~ AOM3c, CA

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

For the crew of the other PB4Y-1 Liberator see:

Cooper, Stuart T ~ Lt, Pilot, RI

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The four P-38G planes lost included:

Finkenstein, Joseph ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, CA
White, Donald G ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, KS

The two other P-38G's were lost however both the Pilots survived.

Pilot John R. Mulvey, Jr. was rescued and Pilot 2nd Lt. Wellman Howard Huey became a POW of the Japanese.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The 2 F4U-1 Corsair's lost included:

Lyon, Gordon L, Jr ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, MS
Stewart, Harold R ~ 2nd Lt, Pilot, AZ

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Bio, Family Links & Crew Reports by:
Russell S. "Russ" Pickett

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


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