Hi!
I'm living in Port Moresby PNG and spend a lot of time tracking WW2 history in the field.
Buck Rogers was the commander of the 3rd Light Bombardment Group, which flew A24s They were based initially in Townsville, then Port Moresby. When a B25 made an emergency landing at Aiyura [upper Ramu valley], and suffered damage, 3 A24s flew up from Port Moresby to recover the crew. all 3 cracked up on landing [it was a very rough strip] and two were killed. Buck Rogers was one of those that survived. This was about May /June 1942. The plane wrecks remained [nothing there today but you can fly to Aiyura on a scheduled flight]eventually all survivors were rescued. Several of the survivors of the capture of Rabaul [mostly AIF] made their way along the New Britain coast,across to the mainland, and a few climbed up to Goroka in the highlands where they were able to fly out to Port Moresby and eventually Australia. Your uncle made one heck of a big cross country walk, far harder than the kokoda track.
Buck Rogers was killed in late July 42 on a raid to Buna when 7 A24s bombed Japanese shipping supporting the invasion that led to the battle of the Kokoda Track. 5 of the 7 A24s were shot down on that raid , which led to the retirement of the A24s from combat duty.
Buck Rogers had an airfield on the outskirts of Port Moresby named after him[Rogers strip].
I imagine that Buck rogers family in the US would be delighted to obtain the joystick ,if you felt inclined to part with it.
Cheers
Toms Tomatoes