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| USAAF 5th AF 3rd BG 13th BS  Parer June 16, 1942  3rd BG 1942 |
Pilot 1st Lt. Charles F. Dolan, O-426377 (MIA / KIA) Suffolk County, MA Co-Pilot W/O John Trevor Soundy, RAAF HQNEA 408059 (MIA / KIA) Hobart, TAS Crew Major Sam I. Rubenstein, O-139760 3rd BG, HQ (MIA / KIA) Onondaga County, NY Crew MSgt Shepherd G. Decker, 6810612 3rd BG, 89th BS (MIA / KIA) Scranton, PA Crew TSgt Bryan Krisle, 6229918 3rd BG, HQ (MIA / KIA) Caddo Parish, LA Crew SSgt Lawrence M. Giles, 11014331 3rd BG, 89th BS (MIA / KIA) ME Crew Sgt Norman S. Wheeler, 11029391 3rd BG, HQ (MIA / KIA) Somerset County, ME Crew SSgt Karl R. Kerger, 16027690 3rd BG, 8th BS (MIA / KIA) Nassau County, NY Crew SSgt Robert C. Mongrain, 19019268 (MIA / KIA) Townsend, MT MIA January 7, 1943 MACR 16393 Aircraft History Built by North American Aviation (NAA) in Inglewood. Constructors Number 82-5118. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-25C Mitchell serial number 41-12483. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Brisbane. Wartime History On March 30, 1942 reassigned to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), 5th Air Force (5th AF), 3rd Bombardment Group (3rd BG), 13th Bombardment Squadron (13th BS) at Charters Towers Airfield. On April 11, 1942 took off from Batchelor Field near Darwin piloted by Col John Davis with co-pilot 1st Lt. James McAfee as one of nine B-25s with three B-17s on the Royce Mission on a flight 1,500 miles northward to Del Monte Airfield on Mindanao in the Philippines. On April 12, 1942 the nine B-25s plus three B-17s that Japanese shipping in Cebu Harbor. On April 13, 1942 in the morning, the nine B-25s bomb Japanese shipping in Cebu Harbor and installations at Davao on Mindanao. Later in the day, B-25s again bomb the dock area at Davao. After dark, the bombers took off from Mindanao for the flight back to Australia with the nine B-25s landing safely on April 14, 1942 at 3:00am at Batchelor Field near Darwin. Afterwards, nicknamed "Mr. X", no photographs are known of the bomber with this nickname to know the style. Assigned to pilot Davies with crew chief Young. By May 1942, assigned to pilot Captain Gustave M. Heiss with crew chief Sgt Hurlan H. Beauman and operated from 7-Mile Drome near Port Moresby. On May 9, 1942 in the morning at 7-Mile Drome piloted by Captain Gustave M. Heiss with the engines running to warm up for a reconnaissance mission over area "C" by bombers from the 13th BS and 90th BS. At 7:10am a surprise Japanese air raid began when A6M2 Zeros from Tainan Kōkūtai (Tainan Air Group) made a strafing run against the parked bombers. This B-25 was hit by gunfire and inside Heiss was grazed by a bullet and co-pilot Lt. Vernon A. Heidinger (8th BS) was hit in the head and died instantly. The rest of the crew left the bomber and took cover but engineer Sgt Hurlan H. Beauman was also hit and died. Although the bomber was riddled with bullet holes, the damage was mostly superficial and repaired by crew chief Sgt David E. Finney and replaced the left aileron. By June 14, 1942 the bomber was repaired and flight tested by Captain Paul "Pappy" Gunn wit co-pilot FSgt Robert J. Fergie, RAAF with crew chief Sgt Finney aboard. Afterwards, assigned to 2nd Lt. Harry Mangan with crew chief Evans. Nicknamed "Lounge Lizard". On June 16, 1942 while parked at 7-Mile Drome the tail was photographed by Damien Parer preparing for a bombing mission. On July 4, 1942 took off from 7-Mile Drome on a bombing mission against Lae. Over the target, intercepted by A6M2 Zeros from Tainan Kōkūtai and damaged by gunfire but returns safely. Finally, nicknamed "Not In Stock" in double quotation marks. Assigned to Paul "Pappy" Gunn and used as a "fat cat" transport flying between Australia and New Guinea with fresh food and supplies. The left side of the nose below the cockpit window were five lines of text: Pilot - “Pappy" Gunn Co-Pilot - Some Times Bombardier - ? Gunner - ? Crew Chief - Evans. Behind was a scoreboard with 15 bomb markings in two rows (13+2) indicating bombing missions flown. Sometime between August 1942–October 1942 photographed partked at 30 Mile Drome (Rogers) near Port Moresby. On November 23, 1942 took off piloted by Lt. Charles Richards on a flight to Port Moresby. On December 22, 1942 took off piloted by Major Donald P. Hall on a flight to Charters Towers Airfield to pick up Christmas diner and fly it back to the men back in New Guinea. Mission History On January 7, 1943 took off from Charters Towers piloted by 1st Lt. Charles F. Dolan on a flight bound for Port Moresby. The aircraft was not heard from after take off and was declared Missing In Action (MIA). Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead the day of the mission. As the flight was non-combat, none of the crew earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. The Americans are memorialized at the Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Soundy is memorialized at Bomana War Cemetery on the Port Moresby Memorial, panel 9. Dolan previously earned the Silver Star and Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). Soundy Rubenstein Decker previously earned the Purple Heart. Krisle Giles Wheeler Kerger Mongrain previously earned the Silver Star. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Vernon A. Heidinger NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Hurlan H. Beauman NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Charles F. Dolan WW2 Nominal Roll - John Trevor Soundy, 408059 NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Sam I. Rubenstein NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Lawrence M. Giles NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Norman S. Wheeler NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Karl R. Kerger USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-25C Mitchell 41-12483 "12483 (MSN 82-5118) to Netherlands East Indies as N5-152 Mar 1, 1942. Ferried to Australia, impressed Mar 25, 1942 by USAAF and assigned to 3rd BG. Participated as one of the aircraft in "Royce Raid" of Apr 11-13, 1942 in which a quick raid from Darwin, Australia was made to the Philippines to pick up VIPs. Missing Jan 7, 1943 on flight from Charters Towers to Port Moresby. 5 [sic 9] crew MIA." FindAGrave - Vernon Andrew Heidinger (photo, grave photo) date of death May 6, 1942 [sic May 9, 1942] Missing Aircrew Report 16393 (MACR 16393) created retroactively circa 1945-1946 Australia @ War - Crash of a B-25C Mitchell in the Charters Towers Area American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Charles F. Dolan FindAGrave - 1LT Charles F Dolan (tablets of the missing) CWGC - John Trevor Soundy FindAGrave - Warrant Officer John Trevor Soundy Jr. (photo, Port Moresby memorial, panel 9) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Sam I. Rubenstein FindAGrave - MAJ Sam I Rubenstein (tablets of the missing photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Shepherd G. Decker FindAGrave - MSgt Shepherd Gulick Decker (tablets of the missing photos) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Bryan Krisle FindAGrave - TSgt Bryan Krisle (news, tablets of the missing photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Lawrence M. Giles FindAGrave - SSgt Lawrence M “Larry” Giles (photo, tablets of the missing) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Norman S. Wheeler FindAGrave - Sgt Norman S Wheeler (tablets of the missing) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Karl R. Kerger FindAGrave - SSgt Karl R Kerger (tablets of the missing) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Robert C. Mongrain FindAGrave - SSgt Robert Charles Mongrain (news, tablets of the missing) Harvest of the Grim Reapers Volume I (2021) pages 147-157 (Royce Mission), 155 (photo Royce Mission damage), 158, 191 (May 9, 1942), 193 (damage), 194 (June 14, 1942), 276 (June 16, 1942 photos), 287 (July 4, 1942), 322 (photo 30 Mile Drome), 332 (photo), 325 (Doland search Gulf of Papua), 391 (October 29, 1942), 410 (November 23, 1942), 436 (December 22, 1942), 446 (May 9, 1942 casualties), 460 (13th BS, 41-12483), 516 (index Lounge Lizzard), 518 (index Mr. X), 519 (index Not In Stock) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated
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