USAF Captain Elmer F Llewellyn traces the flight path of the B-29 strategic bomber he was assigned to when it was shot down over North Korean airspace on 13 January 1953. His aircraft had been tasked to drop anti-communist leaflets over enemy territory at night when it was attacked by 12 x Mig-15 fighters. Captain Llewellyn amd 10 of his fellow crewmembers were captured by Chinese and North Korean troops. They were taken to several camps eventually being transported inside mainland China. The crew were charged with covert espionage and war criminals often being subjected to months of interrogation, torture, beaten, starved, and abused.
He was finally released back to the US in 1955. During his time in captivity, Captain Llewellyn informed US military and intelligence agencies of US and Allied personnel still being held by Chinese captors after the Korean War had ended. In several cases, US military personnel who had technical expertise in US aviation. radar systems, and rocket-missile programs were refused from being released back to US authorities. Captain Llewellyn gave classified testimony describing visually observing other US fliers being held by Soviet and Chinese personnel.
He had spent several months in a Chinese Prisoner of War camp located in Peking, China. The Chinese government had placed US service members in trial sentencing them to extended prison terms for their involvement in the Korean War. North Korea and China had not signed the protocols and regulations on the treatment of Prisoners of War based on the Geneva Convention.
For a few weeks the name "Captain Brown" appeared in a stall in the same Peking compound. Each time it was removed it would reappear on the wall. Captain Llewellyn stated he could see a USMC flight uniform being washed in a nearby section of the camp. Based on his information US intelligence agencies assessed the individual was likely USMC Captain James Brown a aviator who was shot down and reported lost on 30 May 1953.
Captain Brown had been designated "Missing In Action" but Captain Llewellyn had noticed the missing Marine's names and markings as of mid-1954. This was after a truce had been agreed upon by the US-led forces with China and North Korea. By 1954, all captured US and allied personnel under the UN flag should have been returned to South Korea to include any remains of those who had died while in captivity.
Captain Llewellyn was one of the last group of US personnel released to US authorities a year after the Korean War Truce had been established. Chinese and Soviet authorities later admitted they kept dozens of US personnel against their will and these forgotten service personnel likely died in communist captivity. In several incidents, captured US military personnel were transported to the Soviet Union for further interrogation, often forgotten or written off as either MIA or MIA presumed dead.
Three of his crewmembers who had been captured were never seen again and are still listed as Missing In Action (MIA).
Captain Elmer F. Llewellyn died at the age 83 on 11 May 2009.
Cold War Era. Tachikawa Air Force Base. Japan. 1955.
All reactions:
He was finally released back to the US in 1955. During his time in captivity, Captain Llewellyn informed US military and intelligence agencies of US and Allied personnel still being held by Chinese captors after the Korean War had ended. In several cases, US military personnel who had technical expertise in US aviation. radar systems, and rocket-missile programs were refused from being released back to US authorities. Captain Llewellyn gave classified testimony describing visually observing other US fliers being held by Soviet and Chinese personnel.
He had spent several months in a Chinese Prisoner of War camp located in Peking, China. The Chinese government had placed US service members in trial sentencing them to extended prison terms for their involvement in the Korean War. North Korea and China had not signed the protocols and regulations on the treatment of Prisoners of War based on the Geneva Convention.
For a few weeks the name "Captain Brown" appeared in a stall in the same Peking compound. Each time it was removed it would reappear on the wall. Captain Llewellyn stated he could see a USMC flight uniform being washed in a nearby section of the camp. Based on his information US intelligence agencies assessed the individual was likely USMC Captain James Brown a aviator who was shot down and reported lost on 30 May 1953.
Captain Brown had been designated "Missing In Action" but Captain Llewellyn had noticed the missing Marine's names and markings as of mid-1954. This was after a truce had been agreed upon by the US-led forces with China and North Korea. By 1954, all captured US and allied personnel under the UN flag should have been returned to South Korea to include any remains of those who had died while in captivity.
Captain Llewellyn was one of the last group of US personnel released to US authorities a year after the Korean War Truce had been established. Chinese and Soviet authorities later admitted they kept dozens of US personnel against their will and these forgotten service personnel likely died in communist captivity. In several incidents, captured US military personnel were transported to the Soviet Union for further interrogation, often forgotten or written off as either MIA or MIA presumed dead.
Three of his crewmembers who had been captured were never seen again and are still listed as Missing In Action (MIA).
Captain Elmer F. Llewellyn died at the age 83 on 11 May 2009.
Cold War Era. Tachikawa Air Force Base. Japan. 1955.
All reactions:
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