FAMILY & FRIEND VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS
2nd Lt. Francis Michael Iriarte Y Rila - 1919-1944
10th AF 9th Grp 7th Sq - Bombardier B-24 - China Burma Campaign
On the 15 April 1944 while participating on a combat mission at Port Blair in the Indian Ocean, Mike Iriarte’s B-24 was flying in the number one position when it was attacked by enemy fighters. On the first pass knocked out number two engine. Lt. Stanley M. Allison, pilot, feathered that engine. The second pass started number one engine on fire. All passes from then on were concentrated on the crippled ship.
Eye witnesses flying to the right could see the right waist gun, the tail turret gun and the left gun on the nose turret were not firing indicating probable catastrophic damage to the aircraft and ten man crew.
Lt. Allison pulled out of formation and was flying at approximately 300 feet when four parachutes were seen to open, three landing in the water and the other in some trees on the island. Losing altitude rapidly it appeared Lt. Allison was attempting a landing in the water. Due to the loss of both engines the pilot could not complete his attempt and crashed into the water about 100 yards from shore where, upon impact, the ship exploded and burst into flames which died out immediately.
Through the smoke the departing eye witnesses could still see the tail of the plane protruding above the water.
It is not known if Mike Iriarte was killed by enemy fire onboard or perished in the crash. Perhaps his was one of the parachutes. Nonetheless, neither the crew nor wreckage has ever been recovered and all were eventually declared KIA.
Mike had just celebrated
his twenty fifth birthday.