USAAF
5th AF
(ADVON)
Advance Echelon
3rd BG
13th BS
1942 via Larry Hickey
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 (MIA / KIA) Zeeland, MI
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
Aircraft History
Previously flown by Captain 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 near Port Moresby 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.
Search Mission
On January 20, 1943,
B-25s from the 71st Bomb Squadron conducted a search in the area but
failed to find the aircraft.
Wreckage
Discovered by a New Guinea kiap patrol from Tapini during August 1956, when two bodies were recovered. That patrol concluded the pilot flew blind into a valley, and crashed
During January 1957, RAAF Searcher S/L Keith Rundle investigated the wreckage and was of the opinion that this crash was caused by enemy action (bullet holes and evidence that the port engine was out; prop full feathered and starboard controls to "full rich"). The team recovered six sets of remains: five identified and one unidentified.
The investigation was reported to the US Air Attache, on February 13, 1957 who radioed the Chief of Staff, USAF, stating that the wreckage
had been found at approximately 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.
Relatives
Alfred Hagen (great-nephew of William Benn):
"[In 1998]
I visited the
crash site near the villa of Omo."
At the site, he removed several
artifacts, including a machine gun, instrument panel and propeller blade
that he took with him back to his home in Philadelphia. Also, the dog tag of Donn C. Young.
References
B-25
Down Hunt For A Hero re-discovery of the crash site in 1998
US Air Attache "Recovery of Aircraft Wreckage and Human Remains in New Guinea" February 12, 1957
NAA file Ref: 614/1/25 PART 7 initial discovery and RAAF searcher report are in at page 78 (original discovery) and page 48 (RAAF searcher report)
Thanks to Larry Hickey, Alfred Hagen and David Forrester for additional information.
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Last Updated
October 1, 2009
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