Yap Island WWII Tourism and Memorial Project
The Missing Air Crew Project began as an initiative between Patrick Ranfranz, the nephew of a member of a US B-24 aircrew shot down over Yap in 1944, and the Yap Visitors Bureau (YVB) in 2005. Since then, 13 sites have been identified, cleared and preserved with memorial signs installed. These include four Japanese sites as well as the Missing Air Crew sites.
While Yap is considered a backwater to the overall Pacific War it was the centre of a major US offensive from June 1944 to August 1945 with the loss of over 35 planes and hundreds of men. Because Yap is strategically located between the Philippines and Guam it was at a crossroads for many of the Pacific battles. A decision was made not to invade Yap in September, 1944, but a concentrated air campaign was needed to ensure that it was isolated from the Japanese supply chains and could not be used as an offensive forward operating base. This was especially important once the US occupied the nearby deep-water harbor at Ulithi Atoll in the fall of 1944. Keeping Yap out of the war was key to the US success in the rest of the Pacific theatre.
A variety of attacks were launched against Yap including long-range B-24 bomber raids, carrier raids, ship-to-shore bombardments, land-based Navy and Marine planes and submarines.
Pat Ranfranz and the Missing Air Crew Project spent over 20 years researching the history of Yap during WWII and complied both the military history of the actual missions and the personal stories of many of the men who were lost so that their memories can be preserved for future generations to remember.
The B-24 bomber, known as the Coleman N-24 after its pilot Lt. Gerald D. Coleman, or the remains of its crew and Pat’s Uncle, T/Sgt John B. McCullough, has not yet been located, the search continues, as it does for the other missing airmen lost on this tiny Micronesia island during WWII.
A record of the search and the Missing Air Crew Project’s work work can be found at http://www.missingaircrew.com and updates are posted on the Missing Air Crew Project, Yap Island, WWII.
Accompanied and unaccompanied tours of these sites are available through the YVB office. For more information please go to visityap.com/WWII_sites_yap.php or email info@visityap.com
U.S. Army 13th Air Force Consolidated B-24 Liberator over the Japanese Airfield 1945
A Grumman TBM Avenger similar to those flown over Yap in 1944-45
Patrick Ranfranz clearing the site of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing F4U Corsair Crash Site on Yap Island
Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat flown by Ens. Joseph Cox
WWII Memorial Park in Colonia,YAP dedicated to the missing crews of the Coleman B-24 crew, Sylor & Diederich B-24 crew and to Ens. Howard Holding, Hellcat pilot, all still MIA
one of a number of Japanese Zeros destroyed by bombing at the old Japanese Airfield
Japanese anti-aircraft gun located beside the old Japanese airfield
(credits: Patrick Ranfranz and the Missing Aircrew Project)