USAAF
5th AF
43rd BG
63rd BS
September
17, 1943
Brian
Bennett 2004
JPAC 2004
Pilot 1st
Lt. William M. Hafner, O-790659 (MIA / KIA) Norfolk, VA
Co-Pilot 2nd Lt
Arthur C. Aimacost, III, O-801750 (MIA / KIA) Cincinnati, OH
Crew 2nd Lt
David R. Eppright, O-669024 (MIA / KIA) Warrensburg, MO
Crew 2nd It
Charles F. Feucht, O-673790 (MIA / KIA) Reynoldsburg, OH
Crew T/Sgt James
G. Lascelles, 32501454 (MIA / KIA) New York, NY
Crew S/Sgt Wilburn
W. Rozzell, 18129869 (MIA / KIA) Duncan, OK
Crew T/Sgt Alfred
W. Hill, 38089108 (MIA / KIA) Temple, OK
Crew S/Sgt William
C. Cameron, 19174370 (MIA / KIA) Los Angeles, CA
Gunner-Radio T/Sgt Raymond
S. Cisneros, 38204263 (MIA / KIA) San Antonio,TX
MACR 1069
MIA November
5, 1943 at 1:21am
Aircraft History
This crew was part of the 2nd Sea Search Attack Squadron
assigned to Project Number 96189R.
This aircraft had a radar mounted in the fuselage. It departed the the United States on October 1, 1943 and flew overseas, arriving at 7-Mile Drome in Port Moresby on October 21, 1943. The bomber and the crew were assigned to the 43rd Bomb Group.
Mission History
Took off from Dobodura Airfield on an armed reconnaissance mission to shadow a ten ship convoy near
Kavieng to the limit of their fuel. At 11:40am they radioed: "Three
direct hits on a CL [Light Cruiser] or CA [Heavy Cruiser], 0.3005 15100E target destroyed". Their final message was received at 1:20am "Turn on radio range". No further
messages were received and a search failed to locate the missing aircraft.
Wreckage
Discovered outside Lae in 2002 by locals at 10,800' in
the Sarawagget Range, near the village of Imon. Reported to the US military.
Investigated by US Army CILHI during July - August 2003. Site PP0088. Again visited during 2004 by JPAC team led by Captain Paul Royale. The bomber's five day clock shows that it crashed at 1:21am, a minute after its last radio call.
During July 2006, the military announced that the crew of nine were all identified, and returned to their families for burial.
Armacost, Cameron, Hafner and Lascelles were buried July 19, 2006 at Arlington National Cemetery. Remains that could not be matched specifically to any missing airman were buried in a group burial.
Individual remains of the other five have been buried in hometown cemeteries. Raymond Cisneros was buried in Webster, TX.
Relatives
Nancy Wilson (granddaughter of Cisneros)
References
63 years of wondering ends as widow buries World War II pilot July 17, 2006
B-24
MIA
Resolved
Photo Archive
CILHI New Release
DOD
Release
A Father Returns
