USAAF
5th AF
(ADVON)
Advance Echelon
3rd BG
13th BS
1942 via Larry Hickey
Via B-25 Down 1998
Pilot Major
William G. Benn, O-21524 (MIA/KIA)
Co-Pilot Major Donn
C Young, O-374982 (MIA/KIA) Chicago, IL
Engineer Cpl LaVerne
D Van Dyke, 36181125 (Zeeland, MI) (MIA/KIA)
Gunner Sgt Wilfred
D Coyer, 13033298 (MIA/KIA)
Gunner Sgt Herman
H Elsner, 16042693 (MIA/KIA)
Gunner S/Sgt Michael
Ewas, 6914329 (MIA/KIA)
Observer Lt Col. Dan
B Searcy, O-21689 (MIA/KIA)
MIA January 18,
1943
MACR 8648
Discovery February
13, 1957
Aircraft History
Previously flown by Capt. Ronald Hubbard, during the summer and fall
of 1942. He was eventually the C.O. of the 90th BS, 3rd BG.
He put the name "Algernon IV" naming it after the
hot rod he drove as a teenager before he joined the Army.
Mission History
This B-25 took off from 7-Mile
Drome at 0945 hours to conduct an aerial reconnaissance of the
New Guinea coast from Buna to Gona. No reports were ever received
from this aircraft after take-off, and accordingly on 20 January 1943,
B-25s from the 71st Bomb Squadron conducted a search in the area but
failed to find the aircraft. Two days later, B-25s from the 71st BS conducted a search in the area for this bomber, but failed to located it.
Discovery
A US Air Attache discovered it on 13 February 1957, the US Air Attache
in Melbourne radioed the Chief of Staff, USAF, stating that the wreckage
of the below aircraft had been found at approx. 08.01S 146.52E (upper
Bubu Valley in the Mount
Strong area), and that six bodies were reported
recovered, together with personal identification for five persons. The
recovery was made by RAAF personnel based in Port Moresby at the time.
Inspection of the wreckage revealed that the pilot flew blind into a valley, and crashed.
Relatives
In 1998, Alfred Hagen (great-nephew of William Benn) visited the
crash site near the villae of Omo. At the site, he removed several
artifacts, including a machine gun, insturment pannel and propeller blade
that he took with him back to his home in Philadelphia.
References
Thanks to Larry Hickey for
aircraft history and wartime photo. The documentary B-25
Down Hunt For A Hero shows
the re-discovery of the crash site in 1998.
B-25
MIA
8.01
146.52
