This was a really cool story my mom and aunt just shared with me. She had a cousin who served in WWII as a pilot and ended up missing at the age of 22. Just about a year ago, someone contacted my aunt and explained this story to her. He had been missing for 64 years and then his plane and remains were discovered and identified. My mom and aunt are going to the service that will include full military honors this weekend.
Here is the story and a link at the end:
First Lieutenant Jack E. Volz., 22, passed away on October 27, 1943 in the Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. He was a member of the 90th Bomb Group, 320th Squadron, “ The Jolly Rogers.” He was the pilot of a B-24D Liberator aircraft, known as the “Shack Rat”, that was lost in the South Pacific while on a reconnaissance mission during world War II..
Born December 16, 1921, in Indianapolis, Indiana, son of the late Clarence D. and Helen F. Volz.
He enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps in January of 1942 and quickly rose to the rank of First Lieutenant. On October 27, 1943, he and his crew were on a reconnaissance mission in the shipping lanes in the Bismarck Sea. Shortly before losing radio contact, the crew was told to abort the mission due to poor weather conditions. The crew was never heard from again, and despite numerous search efforts, ultimately the 12 crewmen were placed in the status of presumed dead.
In August of 2003 it was reported to the joint POW/MIA Accounting command that the wreckage of a WWII era aircraft was found in the Morobe Province on the northern coast of Papua New Guinea. After unsuccessful attempts to reach the site in 2003 and 2004, the site was reached in 2005 and identified as the B-24D Liberator that was lost with First Lieutenant Jack E. Volz and crew. After recovering what was possible, the site was excavated in early 2007. It was then that the remains of First Lieutenant Volz and the 11 other men were finally recovered, and then identified by the Armed Services DNA Identification Laboratory.
When he passed away in 1943, he was survived by his parents and two sisters, Patricia Oster and Virginia Simonds.
During the 64 years that he was missing, all of his immediate family have passed away, Currently he is survived by his nieces Marilyn Simonds, Candy Belknap, Valerie Wariner, Susie Oster and Sally Shipley; cousins, Charlotte Whitt, Nancy Allan, Nancy Minton, and great nieces and nephews
Funeral services for 1st Lt. Volz will be 10 a.m. Saturday, May 28, at Ratterman’s, 3711 Lexington Road with burial in Cave Hill Cemetery, with full Military Honors. Visitation will be 6-8 pm. Friday, May 27, at the Funeral Home.
Volz, 1st LT. Jack
Here is the story and a link at the end:
First Lieutenant Jack E. Volz., 22, passed away on October 27, 1943 in the Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. He was a member of the 90th Bomb Group, 320th Squadron, “ The Jolly Rogers.” He was the pilot of a B-24D Liberator aircraft, known as the “Shack Rat”, that was lost in the South Pacific while on a reconnaissance mission during world War II..
Born December 16, 1921, in Indianapolis, Indiana, son of the late Clarence D. and Helen F. Volz.
He enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps in January of 1942 and quickly rose to the rank of First Lieutenant. On October 27, 1943, he and his crew were on a reconnaissance mission in the shipping lanes in the Bismarck Sea. Shortly before losing radio contact, the crew was told to abort the mission due to poor weather conditions. The crew was never heard from again, and despite numerous search efforts, ultimately the 12 crewmen were placed in the status of presumed dead.
In August of 2003 it was reported to the joint POW/MIA Accounting command that the wreckage of a WWII era aircraft was found in the Morobe Province on the northern coast of Papua New Guinea. After unsuccessful attempts to reach the site in 2003 and 2004, the site was reached in 2005 and identified as the B-24D Liberator that was lost with First Lieutenant Jack E. Volz and crew. After recovering what was possible, the site was excavated in early 2007. It was then that the remains of First Lieutenant Volz and the 11 other men were finally recovered, and then identified by the Armed Services DNA Identification Laboratory.
When he passed away in 1943, he was survived by his parents and two sisters, Patricia Oster and Virginia Simonds.
During the 64 years that he was missing, all of his immediate family have passed away, Currently he is survived by his nieces Marilyn Simonds, Candy Belknap, Valerie Wariner, Susie Oster and Sally Shipley; cousins, Charlotte Whitt, Nancy Allan, Nancy Minton, and great nieces and nephews
Funeral services for 1st Lt. Volz will be 10 a.m. Saturday, May 28, at Ratterman’s, 3711 Lexington Road with burial in Cave Hill Cemetery, with full Military Honors. Visitation will be 6-8 pm. Friday, May 27, at the Funeral Home.
Volz, 1st LT. Jack
Last edited:
