USAAF
5th AF
38th BG
405th BS
Charles Maggart
February 1942
The Searchers 1961
Justin Taylan 2003
Via
JPAC 2004
Via JPAC 2005
Phil Bradley 2006
Pilot 1st
Lt. Charles L.
Maggart (0-430935) MIA
Co-Pilot 1st
Lt. Wilson Pinkstaff (0-424664) KIA
Navigator 2nd
Lt William N. Stocking (0-434888) MIA
Bombardier 2nd
Lt. Frank Thompson (0-659607) MIA
Radio Sgt
Aubrey L. Atkins, Jr. (14053731) KIA
Engineer Cpl Richard
P. Grutza (16947009) MIA
Gunner Cpl
Antonio P. Calderon (38013441) MIA
MIA December
5, 1942
MACR 15902
Aircraft History
The aircraft was previously nicknamed "Scat". Later, renamed "The
Happy Legend".
Mission History
Took off from Port Moresby on a mission
to bomb Buna on
December 5, 1942 when it was lost, crashing in the Myola area.
Wreckage
During the war, Australian forces found the crash in the Owen
Stanley Mountains in February of 1943, near the Kokoda Gap. A large crater indicated
that the aircraft must have exploded in the trees, and came to
rest in a large, water filled crater. Bombs were still onboard.
Wilson Pinkstaff’s
remains were identified and Aubrey Atkin's identification tags
were found.
The
Japanese
ground
forces
were in the immediate area and the team had to terminate the search
for additional remains of the crew.
Visits By American
MIA Teams
1) In July 1961, RAAF Searcher mission,
with American military team members visited the site, but had to abandon
any further search due to water in the crater.
2) This site was partially excavated by US Army CILHI in 1995, that resulted in an ID tag for Atkins being found.
3) During a 2002 mission, the CILHI team's objective was to attempt to complete the excavation. Preliminary field reports from the team indicate they were forced to suspend work at the site due to safety concerns. The team indicated the aircraft wreckage itself is in an unstable, precarious position and they also ran into live ordnance.
4) In March 2002, CILHI went back to the site and attempted to complete the recovery. During tile course of pumping out the crater, a 500 lb bomb, which was lodged in the side of the crater, began to shift. Attempts to reinforce the bomb were unsuccessful, and it began a slow descent to the center of the crater in the middle of the excavation area. After examination by the US EOD specialists and the PNG Defense Force EOD team, it was determined that the bomb was too unstable to move and the only alternative would be to blow it in place. Unfortunately, this would destroy whatever remained of the site. Due to safety concerns, the site was administratively closed on 15 March 2002 and the team relocated to another recovery site near Lae.
5) Another team revisited the site in late January - early March 2005 as part of the JPAC mission in Papua New Guinea & Fiji. They located more possible remains and personal effects including a personal ID bracelet.
Phil Maggart adds:
"I just researched my records and found out that there have been 11 visits to that site."
References
The Searchers pages 146. Interviews
with brother Phil Maggart. Wartime
history via Aerothentic
Publications. CILHI / JPAC mission updates via Mark A. Magalski (2002)
and C. Willamson. 2004 & 2005 photos via JPAC / Major Nielson-Green
Relatives
Phil Maggart (Charles L.
Maggart brother)
948 Gustave Place, Marion, Indiana 46952
Tel 765-664-6044
B-25
MIA
CILHI 2002 Mission
JPAC
2005 Mission
8° 59'
147° 5'
View on Google Earth
