Charles John Sciara

On 14 January 1944, took off from Munda Airfield in SBD-5 #35971 as part of “the first full-scale attack of land based lightweight bombers against Japanese shipping at Rabaul.” Intense defensive fire and successive waves of Japanese aircraft met the attackers, and Sciara’s Dauntless “had its tail shot off by anti-aircraft while the flight was approaching the target area.” The bomber entered a flat spin and fell out of control into St. George’s Channel.

Sergeant Sciara and the pilot, First Lieutenant Billy R. Ramsey, were posted missing after the mission and eventually declared dead on 15 January 1945. However, reports received after the war indicated that Sciara managed to bail out of the bomber and was captured by Japanese troops. He was imprisoned near Rabaul, possibly at the Tunnel Hill POW Camp, until his death on or around 21 February 1944.

While Sciara’s death is officially attributed to malaria or beriberi, the relatively short period between his capture and death – approximately 40 days – may suggest he was mistreated or even murdered by his captors.