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Touches Victoria FamilyBy BKITR PATTON\ri vacate Staff WriterThe story of the crashed Army plan* found in New Guineathat appeared in Saturday's Advocate was of more than casual interest to Joe Rendon. ROf N JeckerRendon's brother, Sgt Mercy Rendon .Ir . a gunner aboard a B-24 bomber, was lost in the same area.These similarities struck RendonThe plane cm which his brother was ios\ and the one described in the storv. both of-• y --them B 24**, four engine bom bers used during World War II. were based at Port Moresbyin southeastern New Guinea Both planes were on bombingmissions to Wewak, on theNorth New Guinea coast, and a major Japanese base.Both planes were shot down the same ri.iv Dec 1. 194,1Rendon was declar d missing four days later Although such missing men were usuallyderlared dead after one vear’s% w reosgtime it was two years after the time that Rendon wasdeclared officially deadi ITherewas a shortage of gunners, and he volunteered.’* Rendon recalled.Rendon noted, too. that the plane described in the story appeared to have been shot at. caught fire and exploded in the air IIn the letter to Rendon's ; mother. Mrs Mercy Rendon 1 Sr., 1008 S. Main, the squadron ’commander said, in IMS, that the plane had been hit by an- ' tiaircraft fire, and was then at* j tacked by Japanese fighters : Some crew members were observed to bail out before the ! plane crashed the letter said. At the time the lc’ter was writ* ' ten. several days after the plane had been lost, no survivors had been foundSf.T. MERCY RENDON. , . memories revivedThe squadron numbers were not the same. Rendon said Saturday, but noted that the family had known for a long time that he had volunteered for the mission on a plane other than the one on which he was assignedWhy, then, delve into srme-thmg that happened so many years ago, when there is no hope for a brother missing and dead for so long?“Well, I guess it's Just tha* if we could find out any details, anything it all. it would make the family feel better This new*storv brought so much of itback to us
Newspaper Details
Victoria Advocate
Victoria, Texas, US
Sun, May 16, 1971
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Texas A.
TX, USA 13 Jul 2022
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