USAAF
5th AF
19th BG
40th BS
Former Assignments:
7th BG
1942
Richard Rudd 1980
Pilot Major Clarence E. McPherson, O-22396
Co-Pilot Lt. Lucius G. Penick, O-413487
Engineer M/Sgt "Soup" Silva, R-45343
Passenger S/Sgt Charles Baxter
Passenger Pvt Richard Purcell
Passenger Sgt John Stevenson
Passenger S/Sgt Marvin C. Bond, 6912315
Passenger Sgt. Walter F.Schofield, 6581360
Passenger Plus 7 others
Crashed July 16, 1942
Aircraft History
Delivered to the Army on November 17, 1941 and flown
away by Lt. Maurice C. Horgan to Salt Lake City. It flew missions from Hawaii in January
1942 and assigned to the 7th BG. Then it was ferried to Australia. Took part in the Royce Mission, piloted by Rawls and co-pilot Jones. On a June 9, 1942 mission
the top turret ran away, accidently firing and hitting the bomber's own tail
and rudder.
Mission History
Overshot its landing at Horn
Island Airfield. The wingtip dug into the ground
and crashed, killing the entire crew of 15. It would appear that the bodies of those killed were initially buried on Horn Island and then exhumed and reburied in the US Cemetery in Townsville and then exhumed again and reburied in the US Cemetery in Ipswich in 1945. The bomber was not stricken from the regster until October 31, 1944.
References
Horn Island: In Their Steps 1939-45 page 196-197.
B-17
Crash of a B-17 At Horn Island July 16, 42
