Edward Albert Croker
1Lt. Edward A. “Junie” Croker was a Marine torpedo bomber pilot who flew with VMTB-233.
Croker’s Avenger was shot down over Ballale, Solomon Islands, on 16 September 1943. He died as a prisoner of war on 21 February 1944.
Branch
Marine Corps Reserve
Service Number O-14785
Current Status
Remains Not Recovered
Pursuit Category
The DPAA has not publicized this information.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
January 21, 1921
at Eagle River, WI
Parents
Edward Burton Croker (d. 1943)
Emma K. (Schmidt) Croker
Education
Eagle River High School
University of Wisconsin Madison
Occupation & Employer
College student
Service Life
Entered Service
December 3, 1941 (enlisted)
January 16, 1943 (officer)
Home Of Record
Eagle River, WI
Next Of Kin
Mother, Mrs. Emma Croker
Military Specialty
Pilot
Communications Officer
Primary Unit
VMTB-233
Campaigns Served
Northern Solomons
Individual Decorations
Air Medal
Purple Heart
Prisoner of War Medal
Additional Service Details
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Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
Edward “Junie” Croker piloted TBF Avenger torpedo bomber during the campaign for the northern Solomon Islands. He began flying combat missions in August, and by mid-September was well familiar with his squadron and crew, as well as the sights and sounds of his home base at Henderson Field, Guadalcanal.
On 16 September 1943, VMTB-233 took off for the third of three strikes against Ballale Airfield in the Shortland Islands, just south of Bougainville. The previous strikes were extremely successful, and on both missions all planes returned safely.
The Americans did not get off clean on the final strike. A Navy TBF crashed and exploded on the runway, and Lieutenant Croker’s Avenger – TBF-1 #06452, with Cpl. William L. Casper and PFC Henry W. Schroeder aboard – was not seen again after the bombing run. The three Marines were listed as missing in action, and finally declared dead on 10 January 1946.
Burial Information or Disposition
In October 1945, Reverend Joseph Lamarre – an Australian citizen and former captive of the Japanese at Rabaul – contacted the Croker family. Junie had survived the Ballale mission, but was captured by Japanese forces and held by the Keibitai 81st Navy Guards Unit in an infamous prison on Rabaul. “Edward was shot down over Birn [sic] southern end of Bougainville at the end of Sept. 1943,” he wrote. “He was the only man saved out of his plane. He was brought to our prison camp in Rabaul in very good health. Edward was taken away from our Camp in January 1944 – most probably he and other American Airmen were taken away to Japan. We never heard of them again.” While at Rabaul, Croker was a cellmate of legendary Marine pilot Gregory “Pappy” Boyington.
An investigation returned a report that Croker and several other POWs had been aboard the Japanese transport ship Kokai Maru, which was sunk by Allied aircraft on 21 February 1944. This date of death was accepted on 17 April 1947. However, this story was fabricated to cover evidence of war crimes. Remains exhumed from a Rabaul POW camp showed evidence of execution – and several of the men found there had been on the Kokai Maru roster.
Among the Marines on the list were Lieutenants Croker, John J. Knight, Jr., and Stephen W. Painter, Jr. None of their remains have been identified.
Next Of Kin Address
Address of mother, Mrs. Emma Croker.
Location Of Loss
Lieutenant Croker was last known to be a prisoner of war at Rabaul.
