Pilot  1st Lt. Howard L. Golden, O-799382 (MIA)
Co-Pilot  2nd Lt. John R. Jennings, O-808847 (MIA)
Crew  2nd Gernard M. Donohue, O-752985
Crew  2nd George A. Sparks, O-1550269
Crew  T/Sgt Edward N. Stachowiak, 16147569
Crew  T/Sgt Allen D. Toppert, 36628908
Crew  S/Sgt Eugene A. Ivers, 32571227
Crew  S/Sgt Allen W. Pearson, 36328994
Crew  S/Sgt Fred J. Shroad, 33242452
Crew  S/Sgt Guy A. Buie, 38225344
Crew  William D. Ballou, 34546512
Crew  Sgt David S. Ingerman, 37278739
Crew  SSgt Joseph C. Minnich, 35343616
MIA  April 12, 1944 at 1148 hours
MACR  4926

Aircraft History
Engines R1830-43 Army Air Force Serial Numbers: 42-38225, 42-63690, 41-14693, 41-35534. This bomber was lost flying its 101st combat missions.

Aircraft History
Took off from Nadzab Airfield on course 300 degrees for a bombing mission against Hollandia. Separated from the 319th BS, it joined with the 400th BS. Over the target, this bomber begin to trail 2,000 yards behind the formation, and was attacked by three Japanese fighters, and other B-24s saw hits registered and what appeared to be several engines knocked out. The plane went into a flat spin, and two parachutes were observed, before the bomber crashed with a large explosion. The fighters fired at the two descending parachutes.

An extract from the S-2 form blue, 400th BS dated 12 Apr 44 states:
"Plane from 319th Bomb Squadron became separated from 319th flight prior to reaching Ramu Valley and attached itself to our squadron. South of Sentani Lake as our ships were engaged in changing lead plane this plane dropped behind the formation, reason not known. At time of attack by enemy fighters this plane was 2,000 yards behind formation. The Tony's and Hamp continued their dive through our formation and pressed their attack determinedly on the straggling plane. Many strikes were seen registering on it and knocking out at least two engines and probably scoring hits on the cockpit, with 20mm shells. The plane was seen to smoke and went into a flat spiral, crashing with a terrific explosion, approximately 6,000 feet SW of Hollandia strip in Kunai grass, north of Sentani Lake. Two parachutes were seen to open, but the fighters strafed these before they reached the ground and no survivors could be expected."

Fates of the Crew
Post war investigations revealed that six died in the crash, four parachuted from it and were captured as POWs. Two died later and two were handed over to the Japanese 6th Flying Division.

Recovery of Remains
Australian war graves unit investigated the crash site on December 1, 1947. Some remains were found and buried in a group burial. On August 13, 1948 US Army AGRS team visited the crash site and the remains of four unidentified crew members were recovered by 5A Detachment, AGRS.

Relatives
Tim Alexander adds:
"My maternal grandmother's brother, SSGT Joseph C. Minnich. I have been on this trail for over 3 years trying to figure out exactly what happened to the crew.Of all the books I've read, as well as after action and missing air crew reports, they all give conflicting reports. According to the book, Legacy of the 90th Bombardment Group, 1st Lt. Howard Golden,2nd Lt. Bernard Donohue,SSGT Eugene Ivers, and a fourth unidentified crew member escaped the plane. It was believed that the unidentified man fell into Lake Sentani and drowned. Ivers body was found on the shore of the lake, cause of death unknown, and buried by the natives.

After the war, a recovery team from Graves registration identified his remains and sent them home for private burial.Golden and Donohue were arrested by local jap sympathizers and then turned over to the Japanese who interrogated then executed both men sometime between April 18 and April 30. I was recently visiting the Jolly Rogers web site and while browsing the message board, came across a fellow who had a very interesting story about that aircraft. For a time the Army could not determine the fate of the copilot, 2nd Lt. John Jennings. His nane appeared on a list of fatalities suffered in the a fire in Tokyo at a large prison used to hold Allied airmen. when the Army closed the file on Jennings, they had decided that he would have had no useful information that Tokyo might have wanted to obtain thru interrogation that hadn't already been revealed by Golden and Donohue, and therefore the final report says that Jennings dies in the crash.

Hoever the story this gentleman has told me is quite different. He states that when his grandfather was 10 years old, their family lived on the shores of Lake Sentani and witnessed the death of Yankee Doodle Dandy. He also stated that 2 parachutes that were seen to be floating down were strafed by the Jap fighters before they hit the ground. The grandfather also witnessed the crewman falling into the lake. But he states that John jennings was rewscued and stayed in hiding at the family home for approximately 2 days and nights before he was captured. A search for jennings after the war turned up a report from a man in Australia saying that Jennings body had been indentified among the dead at the tokyo prison fire.

So I am at a place on the trail where i dont know which story to belive. I am still in communication with this fellow and would like to speak to the grandfather somehow. I dont know if you are already familiar with this crash or crash site but maybe there is a possiblity of even visiting the wreck site."

References
Legacy of the 90th Bombardment Group pages 111-112
B-24 Best Web
Thanks to Daniel Leahy for additional information

Contribute Information