JR435N

Royces Raid by R Jones Nav

            [04-__-42 Rawls crew] It was in early April that the rumors of a projected third flight into the Philippine Islands materialized. Two crews from the 435 were to be joined by another from the 30th and report to a dispersal field near Darwin for departure.

            This mission was to be different from others to the Philippines and there were no two ways about that, even after the exaggeration of rumor was sifted out. It resolved itself to the dispatching of 3 B-17s and 10 B-25s to fields in Mindanao island in the southern Philippines; these planes to remain there until all the bombs and gas in the area were expended, which on conservative estimates, seemed about one week. When one considers that these fields were in the middle of Japanese held territory and apt to be taken at a moment's notice,(The alternate base was taken the same day and the field used was taken one week later by the Japs) it portrayed a type of mission closely approximating the suicide type.

            But orders are orders; the army -- the army and men eager until proven otherwise. So one April morning, two B-17s of the 435th with Capt. Bostrom and Rawls as pilots were among the flight that saw the coastline of Australia fading into the horizon. Capt. Bostrom was Flight Commander and had in his plane General Royce who was in charge of the entire operation. The flight was successfully accomplished, having skirted the Japanese bases of Ambon, Ceram and Davoa without detection.

            The arrival at dusk was an unforgettable experience. The field was merely a cleared pasture and quite rough. The planes were dispersed as quickly as possible, and then the men had the opportunity to survey the surroundings and these battle scarred veterans who had rushed out to meet them. The latter were the most striking and would be good recruiting tonics for any hesitant American. From the Colonels to Privates, they cluttered around the plane with tears of appreciation in their eyes, viewing the new arrivals as saviors and conquering heroes. Knowing our limitations, it was most sobering and a bit pathetic to we who had come in those few planes, as a token display for General MacArthur who had not forgotten his "Men of Bataan" and the Philippines. And there were a few men form Bataan present. You could spot them by their drawn features, and their haggard looks in any crowd. It brought the war of attrition much closer to home and struck a new determination for Victory and revenge in the heart of every man present. The terrain itself was rough and tropical with the water nearby giving the setting of a lovely humid atmosphere.

            The night was spent in bombing and fueling two ships, while the other B-17 was out for maintenance work. The B-25s were dispersed at a different field. The next dawn the two ships took off on bombing missions scouring the seas for enemy concentrations. One aircraft under the command of Capt. Frank P. Bostrom, terminated it's mission by dropping bombs on Nickols Field, Manila, after flying over Corregidor. This crew was the last to see that bastion of American defense before it's fall. The other plane dropped it's bombs on Japanese ships at Cebu, obtaining hits on the surface craft. In the meantime, the remaining plane was undergoing continuing bombing attacks at it's field from Japanese planes and was badly damaged. On the other planes return, the men immediately set to work to get them ready for another flight but before this could be done, the Japanese were back and in the ensuing attack, one plane received a direct hit and was destroyed. The other was damaged by near hits and was barely saved from a grass fire by alert work by Capt. Rawls crew. With one plane out of commission and the other two unserviceable, the only choice was to try to repair the two so that they could limp back to Australian bases. The next fifteen hours were spent in feverish work to accomplish this and by the following dawn, they were in shape enough so that it was considered a 50-60 chance to get back to Australia. In spite of the gamble, all men were eager to go but some had to be left behind. At the last moment, an unfortunate stow away had to me put out. Commander Buckley of "They were Expendable" fame, was a passenger in one of the planes. At sunrise, the first plane rolled down the runway without brakes or superchargers and badly buckled from concussion, just hopped the fence at the end of the field and finally left the ground Australia bound. As the second plane cleared the field the Japanese bombs were just beginning to fall. Aside from the fact that one of the planes was forced  to ground loop on landing, the trip back was without mishap. With the final hop to the home base, ended what is believed to be the longest bombing mission in military history, Capt Bostrom having covered a total distance of over 6000 nautical miles in order to drop his bombs. His total time in the air was 38 hours.

            The most vivid impression, except for the premonition of destruction, was undoubtedly the haunting memory of thos gallant Americans left behind, who either fell into Japanese hands or are still fighting from the jungles of the Philippine Islands.