Pilot 1/Lt Oliver Sheehan
Co-Pilot 2/Lt James A. Gebbie, O-676371 (MIA)
Navigator 2/Lt Wendall P. Rawson
Bombardier 2/Lt Robert J. Rothwell
Gunner T/Sgt Uhland S. Adair, 14150043 (MIA)
Gunner T/Sgt John J. Haggerty, 11071556 (MIA)
Gunner S/Sgt Raymond M. Phillips
Gunner S/Sgt Richard O. Wall
Gunner S/Sgt Thomas D. McNamara
Gunner S/Sgt Rocco W, Bobbora
Crashed December 1, 1943
MACR 2085
Aircraft History
"Ten Knights in a Bar Room" had been named and decorated in Port Moresby as a play on words after the book "Ten Nights in a Bar Room, and What I Saw There" by Timothy S. Arthur in 1854. The book become a famous temperance novel, moralizing on the certainties of bar-room life, and was also made into a play.
Mission History
After bombing Wewak around 11:12, a single Ki-61 Tony attacked from the direction of the sun, and fired a momentary but accurate burst that hit the port wing of this bomber, causing it to explode in mid-air.
S/Sgt James W Cayten, tail gunner of B-24 "Blonde Bomber" witnessed:
"the number two engine caught fire. Approximately 15 seconds after the engine was afire, flames broke out through the bomb bay, and waist windows. I saw three chutes open behind the plane. I also saw an object which might have been a man leave the ship, but no parachute was seen. I saw two parachutes float with the clouds, and watched the other until out of view. The plane started losing altitude just after the engine was hit. After approximately a minute and half the plane wen into a dive and started breaking apart”.
S/Sgt Clarence Roper, right waist of B-24 "Blonde Bomber" witnessed:
“Shortly after observing the fire in the waist, number two engine blew up and the wing came off, and as the plane started down the tail came off”. The attacking Tony was observed to turn on its back and follow the wreckage almost to the ground. Some in the Liberators wondered why it did not make opportunity for a second pass."
A total of three B-24s were lost this mission. This aircraft also B-24D-105-CO "Pudgy" 42-40830 and B-24D "Pistol Packin' Mama" 42-41209.
Wreckage
Located in 1971 by a Kiap from Angoram Patrol Post, who located the wreckage near Angoram and recovered the remains of the crew.
John Douglas reports:
"It was found once after the war in 1971, when the crew were recovered
[most of them]; and has been undisturbed since that time. The tail came
apart from the main body and has survived quite well as can be seen
from the photos. The rest is scrap metal."
Brian Bennett adds:
"I went to the site in September 2005 in an offical capacity. I GPS'ed it, it did not find any remains or personal effect, it came in very hard, and it burned."
MIA Case
Three of the crew are still listed as MIA.
Those not listed above as being "MIA" are not listed on the ABMC database. It is therefore assumed that their remains were recovered in 1971. The three listed as "MIA" may have been recovered at the same time (or during subsequent missions), but have not yet been listed as being buried or having "Remains Recovered".
References
Ten Knights
in A Bar Room details this aircraft and
its history
Legacy of the 90th Bombardment Group page 89
Thanks to Daniel Leahy for additional information
Contribute
Information
|