LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Joseph HOLOHAN
Service No: 412532
Born: Sydney NSW, 13 August 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 19 July 1941
Unit: 531st Bomber Squadron (USAAF) (RAAF’ Radar Counter Measures Unit, Section 22)
Died: Air Operations: (531st Bomber Squadron Liberator aircraft 42-40500), near Koepang, Timor, 11 June 1943, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of James and Catherine Holohan, of Kogarah, New South Wales
Roll of Honour: Kogarah NSW
Remembered: Panel 10, Northern Territory Memorial, Adelaide River NT
Remembered: Panel 114, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Ryde Ex-Services Club World War 2 Honour Roll, Ryde NSW
B-24D Liberator 42-40500, Care Less, was shot down by a combination of anti-aircraft fire and fighters shortly after it completed its bomb run over Koepang. Fighters made one final pass at the plane just as it was about to ditch it in the calm seas south of the target. The bomber exploded, killing all on board.
The crew members of 42-40500 were:
Captain James H Dienelt (O-023999) (USAAF) (Pilot)
Second Lieutenant Joseph A Donovan (O-734322) (USAAF) (Bombardier)
Staff Sergeant Bernard Greenfield (12148026) (USAAF) (Gunner)
Sergeant Joseph Holohan (412532) (Radar Counter Measures Operator)
Staff Sergeant William J Kelly (37285165) (USAAF) (Gunner)
Technical Sergeant Clarence E Nevill (34263296) (USAAF) (Flight Engineer)
Staff Sergeant Carl A Ochala (16100376) (USAAF) (Gunner)
Second Lieutenant John A Palmer (O-796587) (USAAF) (Navigator)
First Lieutenant John Payne Jr (O-734130) (USAAF) (Co-Pilot, 529th Bomber Squadron)
Staff Sergeant Donald D Russell (19088599) (USAAF) (Gunner)
Technical Sergeant Alvin J Schulte (37418570) (USAAF) (Radio Operator)
Staff Sergeant Emil F Vanek (17030755) (USAAF) (Gunner)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
Horton, G.R. Jr. (Glenn) The Best in the Southwest: The 380th Bombardment Group (H) in World War II Southwest Pacific Area, Mosie Publications, Savage Minnesota US, 1995
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/18/113
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line
Bibliography:
Nelmes, M.V. (Michael) Tocumwal to Tarakan: Australians and the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, Banner Books Belconnen ACT 2616, 1994