USAAF
5th AF
43rd BG
64th BS
Previous Units:
19th BG
January 30, 1943
1942/43 Eugene Ward
Date Unknown 1943
May 20, 1943
Pilot Major Paul I. "P.I." Williams (KIA)
Co-Pilot 2nd Lt John S. Rippy (MIA / KIA)
Bombardier M/Sgt Gordon R. Manuel Hodgdon, MI (survived)
Navigator 2nd Lt. Richard U. Aguirre (KIA)
Engineer S/Sgt Robert Gills (KIA)
Radio Sgt. Edward Driscoll (KIA)
Asst Radio / Waist Gunner Sgt Lawrence L. Rexroat (KIA)
Waist Gunner Sgt Robert A. Curry (POW / KIA November 25, 1943)
Belly Turret Pfc William R. Smith (KIA)
Tail Gunner Sgt Joseph F. Murray Lebanon, PA (KIA)
Passenger 1st Lt. Robert F. Heller (380th BG, 529th BS) (KIA)
Shot Down May 21, 1943
MACR 2459
Aircraft History
One of thirty-two brand-new Flying Fortresses delivered to Cheyenne, Wyoming, USA, between May and June 1942, for Britain as part of Lend-Lease agreement. Boeing applied the RAF roundels and numbers at the factory, but retained their original Army Air Forces radio call numbers on their tails. These would be painted over after the aircraft arrived in England. However, during the first week of August 1942, four of this batch of Fortresses: B-17E 41-9196, B-17E 41-9234, B-17E 41-9235 and this bomber were instead assigned to the 19th Bombardment Group, and ferried to Australia.
Aircraft History
One of 32 bombers delivered to Cheyenne Wyoming, that was originally bound for Britain as part of the
Lend-Lease Agreement. Boeing applied RAF markings at the factory.
Instead, during the first week of August 1942, it was one of four ordered to Hamilton Field and flown to Hawaii. There, it was nicknamed "Honi Kuu Okole", Hawaiian for "Kiss My Ass".
Next, it was flown to Australia and was assigned to the 19th Bomb Group and flew missions. Then, it was transferred to the 43rd BG in late 1942 and based at 7-Mile (Jackson Drome) near Port Moresby.
Mission History
Took off from 7-Mile, in the afternoon of May 20, 1943 to stage from Dobodura Airfield. Loaded with a mix of 300 pound bombs and 20 pound fragmentation bomb clusters for a night mission. One of five B-17s that took off at 1:00am, to bomb Vunakanau and Rapopo Airfield, then return to Port Moresby.
The bomber arrived at its initial point at the Warangoi River at 3:48am. Hit by from below, all four engines were set on fire and bombs ignited. Banking out to sea, the pilot ordered the crew to bail out. Only Rippy and Manuel were able to bail out, the rest perished when the bomber crashed into the sea and exploded, ripping its tail and wing off on impact.
This B-17 was Intercepted by a J1N1 Irving flown by Shigetoshi Kudo, he opened fire with oblique 20mm cannons from below. This was the first victory of a night fighter victory using oblique cannons. Afterwards, he shot down another, B-17E 41-9011 and returned to Lakunai Airfield at 5:35am, having expended 178 rounds.
Fates of the Crew
Two members of the crew were volunteers for the mission: Heller, a B-24 pilot gaining experience in B-17s and Pfc Smith and both were KIA.
After the bomber was hit, only Rippy, Manuel and Curry were able to bail out, the rest perished when the bomber crashed into the sea and exploded, ripping its tail and wing off on impact.
Curry, was executed at Rabaul on November 25, 1943 along with four members of the crew of B-17E 41-9011. Both Curry and Rippy are listed on the "Tablets of the Missing."
Gordon Manuel survived behind enemy lines in the Put Put area, with the help of local people. Later, he joined a group of Australian coastwatchers and was evacuated on February 5, 1944 when the USS Gato surfaced in Open Bay to rescue the assembled group of Allied pilots. In 1946, he wrote his story published as a book: 70,000 to One.
Relatives
Janet Kimble (niece of SSgt Robert Gills)
"I have been researching my uncle's time in the AAF for several years. I have been aware of the pacific wrecks website for a long time but hadn't really spent much time on it and I didn't realize there was a specific page for the Honi Kuu Okole. I have a few other pictures of the plane and a picture of Vunakanau but I only have prints and they haven't been scanned."
Gordon Manuel, Jr. (son of M/Sgt Gordon Manuel)
"He was later commissioned into the USAF as a 2nd Lieutenant with serial number 0-888863. And ended his service as a Captain. Manuel passed away August 16, 1950 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetary"
Dan Reichard (nephew of Sgt Joseph Murray)
My uncle's nickname was Bus which was short for Buster (no one in the family know exactly how he got the nickname).
References
70,000 to One is the story of bombardier Gordon Manuel role in the mission and escape from behind enemy lines.
Hostages To Freedom also mentions Manuel's story and escape
Moonlight Interceptor mentions this loss in its prologue.
Thanks to Edward Rogers for additional information.
B-17
MIA/KIA
Aprox
4°37'15"S
152°27'51"E
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