Comments about index record
mav448467 · Jul 21, 2019
and three other survivors from his plane are unknown. The only known survivor of this crew to see the war’s end was radar operator 1st Lt Warren H. Ransler. On 10 April 1946, he wrote a letter to the Commanding General, Army Air Forces, Washington, DC. The subject of the letter was, "Prisoners of War Transferred from Kempei Headquarters o/a 10 May 1945.” Ransler stated he previously sent information regarding POWs that were members of his crew and their disposition by the Japanese to the Judge Advocate General's Office through agents of the War Crimes Commission. Lt Ransler stated that he was brought to Tokyo on 5 May 1945 after evading the Japanese for 19 days. He wrote that a group of 50-100 prisoners was to be transferred from Kempai HQ prison camp in Tokyo to some unknown location during 6-11 May 1945. On 6 May 1945, Lt Ransler believes he heard the voice of Sgt Henry Younge, a tail gunner on his crew, answering roll call. Within a day or two Younge was transferred with other POWs to an unknown location. Later, Ransler learned by hearsay that two other members of his crew, S/Sgt Anthony F. Scolaro and Sgt Bertram L. Ware, had been in Kempai and transferred during the 6-11 May 1945 period. In a letter written in Jan 1946 by ex-POW 1st Lt Fiske Hanley, (398th Bomb. Sq., 504th Bomb Grp, B-29 #42-24864) shot down 27 Mar 1945, he confirmed that Sgt Tony Scolaro was imprisoned in the cell with him as a POW at Kempai and transferred on 09 May 1945 to an undisclosed location. Lt Ransler said he was told by the Japanese that all the American’s were to be tried as war criminals. According to The Daily Herald newspaper in Chicago of 25 May 1945, Sgt Anthony F. Scolaro of Arlington Heights was declared missing in action. The following year the Chicago Tribune published on 22 April 1946 the following death notice: S/Sgt Anthony F. Scolaro was killed in action on 26 May 1945 in Japan. He was the husband of Catherine and the father of Frank and Tommy Scolaro. He was the son of Frank
mav448467 · Jul 21, 2019
and Josephine Scolaro and brother of Geraldine DeStefano, Marie Scolaro, and Dorothy Sansone. There was to be a memorial mass the following day at St. Mathias’ church. I have not found proof that Scolaro was at the same prison camp that Sgt Ware and Sgt Younge were being held when the American bombing raid of 26 May 1945 caused fires that are believed to have killed them. In all probability, Scolaro was there and died in that raid. S/Sgt Scolaro was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory medal, and possibly the Air Medal. He is eligible for the Prisoner of War Medal (issued 08 Nov 1985 but retroactive to 06 April 1917).
mav448467 · Jul 21, 2019
Anthony F. Scolaro was the only son born to Frank and Josephine Campo Scolaro. They were the parents of three daughters, too. Tony, as he was sometimes known, was born on 24 April 1918 in Chicago, IL. He married Catherine Steger, a beautician of Chicago, on 29 Jun 1941. Catherine’s parents were born in Hungary. Tony and Catherine were the parents of two sons; Frank and Tom Scolaro. Tony enlisted in the US Army (16078862) on 10 Jun 1942 in Chicago, IL. Army records indicate he was married and had finished one year of college. Staff Sgt Anthony F. Scolaro, was one of eleven aircrew flying in a B-29 Super Fortress, aircraft M-34 (AAF Serial No. 44-69871), from 30th Bomb. Squadron, 19th Bomb Group. They departed North Field, Guam about 1730, 15 April 1945 on an incendiary bombing attack on Kawasaki, Japan. Landfall was reached about 0030, 16 April 1945. M-34 approached the target from the South over Sagami Bay. As the aircraft approached Yokohama Point, the aiming point on the bombing run, enemy searchlights illuminated the B-29. A few seconds before release of the bombs, the aircraft suffered a direct hit by anti-aircraft fire from ground batteries. The pilot, 1st Lt John L. Schofield Jr., was wounded slightly in the shoulder. The bombs were released on target at about 0047. Immediate breakaway was made across Tokyo Bay. A fire that had begun in the bomb bays was fanned by a slipstream caused by the failure of the bay door mechanism. The bomb bay doors would not close. As the aircraft approached the shores of the Chiba Peninsula, fires had begun in engines No. 2 and No. 3. The aircraft began losing altitude rapidly as the fires became more intense. The interphone system failed breaking contact with those crewmen in the forward compartment. The order to bail out was given. All crewmembers in the rear compartment bailed out including S/Sgt Scolaro who was the radio operator. Soon after, the flaming aircraft went into a spin and crashed in a valley. The details concerning the subsequent capture of Scolaro