Honoring a local hero

Friday, July 22, 2011
Richard Aguirre was a navigator on the B-17 Honi Kuu Okole, which was shot down on May 21, 1943.

This article is the first in a series prepared by Hiler that will focus on the background of several parks located in Mountain Home.

Richard U. Aguirre was born in Boise on March 19, 1919. He was the oldest son of Domingo Aguirre and Juanita Urquidi, who both emigrated through Ellis Island to the United States from Spain and came to Mountain Home via the railroad.

Domingo sold concrete during the construction of Barber Dam before meeting Juanita. They married June 24, 1918. He then started a very large sheep business in and around Mountain Home that spanned from Bennett Mountain to the Prairie and back to the Snake River.

Richard attended Mountain Home High School and participated in both football and track. Domingo Jr. and Felip Aguirre (both are current Mountain Home residents) were Richard's younger brothers. Together, they practically grew up in the mountains, working on the family ranch on Deer Creek at Prairie.

Richard graduated from Mountain Home High School in 1937 and went to the University of Washington where his brother, Domingo, later joined him. Together, they became members of the college track team.

War comes to America

After the United States entered World War II with the Japanese bombing of the nation's main Pacific naval base at Pearl Harbor in 1941, Richard was a senior at the University of Washington. On Dec. 31, 1942, he and several of his friends immediately enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He enlisted without speaking to any of his family, and it was certainly contrary to their wishes.

During most of 1942, Richard trained at Hamilton Field in San Francisco where he met and married Margaret Dick, a Seattle girl. After their wedding in Seattle, Richard had to return to San Francisco to train with the 64th Bomber Squadron, which was assigned to the 43rd Bomber Group -- Heavy. Margaret and Richard had one daughter, Ricky, who was raised in Mountain Home and currently lives in Meridian with her husband, Frank.

Richard never saw his beautiful daughter.

Off to war

A second lieutenant, Aguirre was a navigator and volunteered to fly on the B-17E Honi Kuu Okole when the group was sent to the South Pacific on a night bombing flight. Night missions of this type were not unusual.

As the B-17 bomber droned toward the target during the first hour, the mood was somewhat relaxed. The only task for the crew was to stay alert for surface craft. Master Sgt. Gordon Manuel, the crew's bombardier, had the best vantage point through the clear glass nose, while co-pilot 2nd Lt. John S. Rippy and Aguirre watched from the flight deck.

In the final hour before reaching Rabaul, which put them within range of Japanese fighters, the gunners readied their weapons. Sergeants Larry L. Rexroat and Robert A. Curry watched from their waist-gunners' positions located on each side of the heavy bomber -- the places where attacking fighters would often pass. Sgt. Joe Murray watched closely in the tail-gunner's compartment to catch a reflection that might come from a fighter closing in from behind. Pfc. Bill M. Smith watched all sides from the belly turret knowing he had the most difficult location in which to spot another aircraft at night.

So far, the sky seemed clear of fighters as they planned to bomb Japanese planes dispersed over the Vunakanau Airport. The Honi Kuu Okole carried a total of 14 400-pound bombs. They were wrapped in wire and rigged to explode about 100 feet above the ground in an effort to take out all of the Japanese aircraft sitting on the runway.

The Americans had no idea that the Japanese secretly developed the J1N1 Night Fighter. These new planes could fly in the dark of the night, sneak in beneath the B-17s and fire straight up into the bombers.

Their attack would come as a complete surprise to the Americans. The bombers were defenseless because they could not shoot what they could not see.

Under attack

At 3:48 a.m. on May 21, 1943, Aguirre's B-17 and seven others staggered 20 minutes apart arrived at their initial point over the Warangoi River for their bombing run against the Vunakanau Airfield on Rabaul. At the same time, a J1N1 maneuvered below the B-17 and opened fire with its obliquely mounted 20mm cannons.

The B-17 was hammered from below, and flight engineer Sgt. Bob Giles shouted over the intercom that the engines three and four were on fire. Before Williams was able to feather the propellers, the stricken aircraft absorbed more damage from the enemy cannon fire. The two remaining were now on fire, with the situation turning desperate.

Williams banked the bomber steeply to the right to head for the open sea and away from the Japanese-held territory to attempt a water landing. But the fire spread to the bomb bay, where the incendiaries ignited.

But by this time, the 400-pounds were already gone. Manuel released the bombs after they were hit the second time to lighten their load and to keep the plane from exploding. Unfortunately, the crew was carrying a lot of incendiaries which ignited when the enemy cannons hit the radio cabin. They were all burning with an intensive "white" heat capable of penetrating armor plating. Four of the crew, including Richard, were trying to shield their faces with their arms from the terrible heat.

Aguirre was in the radio cabin sitting on the floor nursing his wounds and trying to take off his parachute after he was hit by the exploding incendiaries. The pilot was going to try a water landing, and Aguirre knew the parachute would weight him down. But by now, Williams had run out of alternatives, and he now tripped the guarded switch turning on the emergency alarm bell and ordered the crew to "bail now... now!"

The plane let out a big "sigh" as it plunged into a nose dive at a 45-degree angle. Crewman John S. Rippy parachuted out at 5,000 feet. Manuel didn't bail out until about 500 feet, and his parachute didn't open until he was about 200-feet above the water.

Aguirre's fate unknown

It's assumed that Aguirre either died from his wounds from the incendiaries or was too injured to put his parachute back on when the plane started to nose dive. The rest of the crew died beneath the waters of the South Pacific when the plane hit. The tremendous force ripped the tail and wing off and it immediately sank.

Manuel landed in the sea and made it to shore north of Induna Island near the mouth of the Kambubu River and Matala Plantation. He evaded capture and, with the help of the local natives that were allies of the Americans, survived behind enemy lines in the Put Put area. Later, Manuel joined a group of Australian Coastwatcher's and other downed Allied aviators, who were rescued at Open Bay on Feb. 5, 1944 by the USS Gato.

Returning to duty, Manuel was the sole survivor of the Honi Kuu Okole crew. He later wrote an amazing book titled "70,000 to 1" that detailing his experiences avoiding capture and living with the natives until he was rescued.

A chance for answers

In late 1949, the War Department called the Aguirre's living in Mountain Home and told them to go down to the Mountain Home Railroad depot to see Manuel, who was coming through on a Hospital Train. Domingo and Felip Aguirre met the train. However, before they got to see Manuel, a nurse came out and said that he was too sick to have any visitors and would not allow the Aguirres to visit with the only survivor of the plane crash. Manuel died in 1950, and the Aguirre family never got to talk with him regarding Richard.

Rippy, who parachuted first and landed in the seas, made it to shore south of Induna Island and north of Talilis Plantation. Captured by the Japanese, he was transported to Rabaul where he was imprisoned at the Japanese Navy POW camp. On Nov. 25, 1943, he was executed along with four crewmen from another downed plane.

Aguirre was listed as missing in action on May 21, 1943, and his body was never recovered. He posthumously received the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters and the Purple Heart for his many missions and for his bravery in World War II.

Aside from Manuel, Aguirre and the rest of the bomber's crew were memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in Manila, Philippines.

The family moves on

Although Richard, Domingo and Felip practically grew up on the Prairie Ranch, their home ranch was just north of town. Their original family home was located near the present Les Schwab Tire Center on Airbase Road -- a stone home very reminiscent of their Basque heritage.

Richards's brother, Domingo, later graduated from the University of Washington. It was Richard that convinced his brother Domingo to go to college and to get an education.

Domingo once said that "Richard was strong-willed and strong physically and was the tallest of the three brothers at six-foot, two inches. When he spoke, we listened; what a man he was"

Domingo wishes he would have intervened in Richard's decision to go into the war and had him stay home to help their father with the family ranch since ranchers were exempt from the war.

Domingo later tried to enlist but was sent home because he was seen as a "mountain man."

"You would have to be his brother to truly understand why he entered the war so soon after it began," Domingo said about his brother. "Richard was 'straight and tall,' 'dark and handsome and 'very strong.' "

Richard, at age 18, accepted strength challenges that were unsurpassed. In the service, he was a "Top Fighter" never to lose, his brother added.

"Richard inherited a quality that our father had -qualities that helped build a sheep ranch against all odds. Richard lost his battle in the war but believe me, he is still counted. He could run like the deer at the Prairie Mountains. He is still there with his mother and daddy, I know."

Missing in action

On May 27, 1943, Richard Aguirre's name appeared on the front page of the Mountain Home Republican newspaper as "missing in action." No details were added about his mission or how we was killed. This newspaper article could be the first one written since his death, and it now outlines the details of this heroic local resident ­-- the first person from Mountain Home killed in World War II.

A memorial for Aguirre

On Aug. 17, 1961, it was announced in the Mountain Home News by then-Mayor Phil Gridley that a new 12-acre city park for Mountain Home would be put in due to the efforts of the mayor and city council. Options on the property of Walt Kunneke, Ralph Pierce and Fae Brines were taken in exchange of deeds made with Royal Cochran, and property was purchased for them from Max Boesiger and Florence Conboy.

Mayor Gridley said that the present water main ran through the proposed park. The mayor also asked for assistance of local contractors as well as a local Army Reserve unit for help in the leveling of the property and building a necessary road.

This park provided an opening of East 10th North from North 14th East through to the state highway.

Mayor Gridley ended his statement by saying that he will propose that the park be named after Richard Aguirre.

Later, the citizens of Mountain Home passed a bond issue, and the present swimming pool was built along with the installation of recreation equipment. The park was completed with a Bureau of Outdoor Recreation Grant and City of Mountain Home funding and in-lieu matching work by city crews. As a stipulation of the grant, Richard Aguirre Park was perpetually dedicated as Public Outdoor Recreation for the citizens of the city.

Recent research unsuccessfully determined if an actual dedication ceremony ever took place at Richard Aguirre Park upon completion. It's an intention to erect in the coming months a memorial at the Richard Aguirre Park in honor of this local hero.

Those interested in contributing to this memorial should contact the city parks and recreation department at 587-2112. wAdditional photos and history of the park and Richard Aguirre are available online at www.pr.mountain-home.us

Note: Hiler is a recreation coordinator with the Mountain Home Parks and Recreation Department, who added that "it was an extreme honor to compose this article for the City of Mountain Home and the entire Aguirre family."