Cobrahistorian
Recruit
- 7
- Jan 27, 2026
Hello all,
First post here, but I'm currently finishing my next book for Osprey, "P-47N Units of the Central Pacific" and I'm writing about the action over Keijo, Korea on the morning of 14 August 1945. I have the mission report from the 465th Fighter Squadron, mission 507-37. This was intended as a "Dumbo" escort mission, but they were never able to link up with the flying boat to conduct the escort. The MACR is terribly sparse and unlike most, which Identify MIA, POW, DED, his has no annotations on the pilot's ultimate fate.
Below are the excerpts from the mission report:
Major Rice led the first flight, which had Lts MacLaren, Whaley and McDaniel and the second flight was Capt Hathway and Lts Campbell, Devine, and Backus.
They took off from Ie Shima at 0702 and were supposed to link up with "Playmate 50" over the target area at 1100. They reached the search area west of Keijo (Seoul) at 1030 and egressed the area at 1120. "However, while at 9500 feet and an IAS of 190 and still carrying external wing tanks, six Tojos were seen, three high and three low. One flight climbed; the Tojos paid no heed. The other flight dived to gain speed and the Tojos made one diving pass at them and hit the number four man's plane which was last seen in a dive with one wing burning."
Major Rice:
"On 14 August 1945, I was leading 8 aircraft on a search mission over the bay west of Keijo, Korea. We were jumped by three Tojos from above and as they dove through us, Lt. McDaniel's aircraft was hit in the right wing and set on fire. I saw him dive for the ground in a spiral and a moment later heard him call on the radio that he would have to bail out. I believe he bailed out successfully near the coastline. I did not see or hear him after he called on the radio."
Capt Hathway:
"I was leading white flight on a dumbo escort to Keijo, Korea 14 Aug 45. We were at approximately 5000 feet off the Korean coast near Keijo when we were attacked from above by three enemy fighters believed to be Tojos. I climbed and tried to engage them, until I lost them in the sun and had lost my airspeed. I then broke down and to the right. When I saw the enemy coming down, I broke left but they went after the other flight which by then was about half a mile away. When I got there, Lt McDaniel's aircraft was on its back smoking and I lost the enemy aircraft in the clouds."
Lt Whaley:
"Lt. McDaniel was my wingman when we were attacked by a flight of three Tojos from out of the sun. One member of the flight called the break. I broke into the attacking planes and could only see one of them who was making his pass at me from high and above. As he crossed behind and below me and had cut his throttle to keep from overshooting me, I was able to turn into him again so I pushed everything forward at once and pulled away. While looking back to see what the Jap was going to do, I saw McDaniel roll over on his back and appeared to split-s down with smoke coming off his left [sic] wing. I was unable to locate him again but he called the flight leader about a minute later and said he was going to bail out."
Lt. Backus:
"I saw Lt. McDaniel roll over slowly with his right wing flaming and two enemy aircraft on his tail. I don't think he was able to get out as we were only about 5000 feet. We were too far away to give any assistance."
Devine turned back and didn't make the mission, MacLaren and Campbell did not see McDaniel get hit.
The post mission narrative:
"Almost immediately after arriving over the target area, six Tojos were spotted, three high and three low. Our planes were at 9500 feet at 190mph with two wing tanks on. Capt Hathaway's flight dropped wing tanks and giving it throttle, began a climbing turn to the right so that their position, about 1000 yards away, was below and behind the enemy aircraft. Twice the Tojos turned over on their backs as though they might Split-S. Each time, Capt Hathway's flight nosed upward to be in a position to fire, the Tojos rolled back and continued onward. After using this maneuver twice and losing too much speed, our aircraft dove away to gain speed. The Tojos took advantage of this opening to make a diving attack on Major Rice's flight. (Just prior to this time, Maj Rice's a/c blew out a turbo-supercharger and he developed an oil leak, impairing both his visibility and power.) After being bounced, our aircraft milled around briefly and after forming up again, Lt McDaniel's plane was seen to be burning in one wing, and in a dive. Maj Rice talked to McDaniel at this time, but he did not hear or see him again afterwards."
We know that they were likely Ki-84s, not Ki-44s. What I'm trying to figure out now is what happened to McDaniel after. We know Dallas Yeargain was repatriated, and we know they were together, but I have not seen anything else on him other than a brief mention that he was beheaded. Can't find any confirmation on that.
Thanks!
First post here, but I'm currently finishing my next book for Osprey, "P-47N Units of the Central Pacific" and I'm writing about the action over Keijo, Korea on the morning of 14 August 1945. I have the mission report from the 465th Fighter Squadron, mission 507-37. This was intended as a "Dumbo" escort mission, but they were never able to link up with the flying boat to conduct the escort. The MACR is terribly sparse and unlike most, which Identify MIA, POW, DED, his has no annotations on the pilot's ultimate fate.
Below are the excerpts from the mission report:
Major Rice led the first flight, which had Lts MacLaren, Whaley and McDaniel and the second flight was Capt Hathway and Lts Campbell, Devine, and Backus.
They took off from Ie Shima at 0702 and were supposed to link up with "Playmate 50" over the target area at 1100. They reached the search area west of Keijo (Seoul) at 1030 and egressed the area at 1120. "However, while at 9500 feet and an IAS of 190 and still carrying external wing tanks, six Tojos were seen, three high and three low. One flight climbed; the Tojos paid no heed. The other flight dived to gain speed and the Tojos made one diving pass at them and hit the number four man's plane which was last seen in a dive with one wing burning."
Major Rice:
"On 14 August 1945, I was leading 8 aircraft on a search mission over the bay west of Keijo, Korea. We were jumped by three Tojos from above and as they dove through us, Lt. McDaniel's aircraft was hit in the right wing and set on fire. I saw him dive for the ground in a spiral and a moment later heard him call on the radio that he would have to bail out. I believe he bailed out successfully near the coastline. I did not see or hear him after he called on the radio."
Capt Hathway:
"I was leading white flight on a dumbo escort to Keijo, Korea 14 Aug 45. We were at approximately 5000 feet off the Korean coast near Keijo when we were attacked from above by three enemy fighters believed to be Tojos. I climbed and tried to engage them, until I lost them in the sun and had lost my airspeed. I then broke down and to the right. When I saw the enemy coming down, I broke left but they went after the other flight which by then was about half a mile away. When I got there, Lt McDaniel's aircraft was on its back smoking and I lost the enemy aircraft in the clouds."
Lt Whaley:
"Lt. McDaniel was my wingman when we were attacked by a flight of three Tojos from out of the sun. One member of the flight called the break. I broke into the attacking planes and could only see one of them who was making his pass at me from high and above. As he crossed behind and below me and had cut his throttle to keep from overshooting me, I was able to turn into him again so I pushed everything forward at once and pulled away. While looking back to see what the Jap was going to do, I saw McDaniel roll over on his back and appeared to split-s down with smoke coming off his left [sic] wing. I was unable to locate him again but he called the flight leader about a minute later and said he was going to bail out."
Lt. Backus:
"I saw Lt. McDaniel roll over slowly with his right wing flaming and two enemy aircraft on his tail. I don't think he was able to get out as we were only about 5000 feet. We were too far away to give any assistance."
Devine turned back and didn't make the mission, MacLaren and Campbell did not see McDaniel get hit.
The post mission narrative:
"Almost immediately after arriving over the target area, six Tojos were spotted, three high and three low. Our planes were at 9500 feet at 190mph with two wing tanks on. Capt Hathaway's flight dropped wing tanks and giving it throttle, began a climbing turn to the right so that their position, about 1000 yards away, was below and behind the enemy aircraft. Twice the Tojos turned over on their backs as though they might Split-S. Each time, Capt Hathway's flight nosed upward to be in a position to fire, the Tojos rolled back and continued onward. After using this maneuver twice and losing too much speed, our aircraft dove away to gain speed. The Tojos took advantage of this opening to make a diving attack on Major Rice's flight. (Just prior to this time, Maj Rice's a/c blew out a turbo-supercharger and he developed an oil leak, impairing both his visibility and power.) After being bounced, our aircraft milled around briefly and after forming up again, Lt McDaniel's plane was seen to be burning in one wing, and in a dive. Maj Rice talked to McDaniel at this time, but he did not hear or see him again afterwards."
We know that they were likely Ki-84s, not Ki-44s. What I'm trying to figure out now is what happened to McDaniel after. We know Dallas Yeargain was repatriated, and we know they were together, but I have not seen anything else on him other than a brief mention that he was beheaded. Can't find any confirmation on that.
Thanks!
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