USAAF
5th AF
345th BG
501st BS
"War Weary" Jack Fellows
September 12, 1944
Richard Leahy
1999
Richard Leahy 2000
Pilot Lt.
John Fabale, O-799548 (New Britian, CT)
Copilot F/O. Harrison
T. Beardsley, T-637737
Crew S/Sgt Robert
G Simmons, 33723545
Crew Sgt Joe
S Lopez, 38121892
Passenger 1/Lt Robert
F Kuechler, O-1108791
Passenger Capt Leroy
F Puthoff, O-669107
Passenger S/Sgt William
M Collier, 32385394
Passenger 2/Lt Robert
E Buchanen , O-76003
Passenger Sgt William
Kelly
Force Landed September 11, 1944
MACR 13263
Aircraft History
Assigned to the 345th BG on April 5, 1943. This aircraft flew over 100 combat missions. Pilots included Marston, McKenney and Milton N. Harper (completed his tour of duty in this bomber). Crew chief was Mike H. Juroshek.
Mission History
Flown
on a laundry run from Biak to Nadzab,
with a four man crew and 6 passengers. The
aircraft experienced engine failure on the journey, and forced
landed in the upper Keram part of the Sepik
River in a swamp.
Aside from the crew, there were nine passengers aboard, all
members of the 501st Bomb Squadron, "Air Apaches".
The crew all walked away from the crash, and after five days
were rescued, and returned to the destination on September
18.
Wreckage
Fairly complete in the swampy plain along the Sepik.
Over the years, instruments have been taken the majority of combat
fittings are still in the aircraft.
John Fabale, Jr. reports:
"After the war, we got a package from the U.S. goverment, with Dad's
diary in it. Apparently, it had been captured from a Japanese prisoner
at the end of the war at Wewak, and he has used some of the paper inside it. Since
it had my Dad's name on it, they were able to return it to us.
References
Warpath Across The Pacific pg 38, 62 119, 121, 164, 167, 186-187, 397
"Swamp Mitchell" by Michael Claringbould
"War Weary" by Jack Fellows depicts this aircraft
War In Pacific Skies page 88
B-25
Photo Archive
John Fabale
Swamp Mitchell
