Aircraft History
Built by North American as a model D-5. Ferried from the United States arriving at 14 Mile Drome (Schwimmer) near Port Moresby. Assigned to the 5th Air Force, 38th Bombardment Group. Nicknamed "Elusive Lizzie". Later, it was renamed "Miss America". Both names were then completely covered by the "Green Dragon" insignia of the 38th Bombardment Group.

Mission History
Took off from 17-Mile (Durand) near Port Moresby on a barge sweep and strike against Madang Airfield. Damaged by anti-aircraft fire, it ditched between Wongat Island and the coast of New Guinea.  Zimmerman drowned in the crash.

Fates of the Crew
The rest of the crew swam to Wongat Island where they were captured by the Japanese and transported to Kempei Tai Headquarters at Amron and interrogated.

Cox was seporated and flown to Rabaul, and then transported aboard ship to Japan. He survived the war at the Omori POW Camp in Tokyo.

On August 31, 1943, the other four crew members: Koscelnak, Louis. Ritacco and Hugh Anderson, were blindfolded and escorted down from Amron to an execution ground. They were bayoneted then beheaded. Afterwards, Owen Salvage, the sole survivor of B-25D 41-30221 was also executed. Lastly, Robert Herry was tied between two posts and bayoneted to death.

Post war affidavit L/Cpl Yasukuni Tani. (clerk, Kempei Tai Amron) states:
“The actual execution was to be three prisoners by Kempei Tai and two by headquarters Sentry Guard Unit. However, 1st Lt. Matsumoto’s Kempei Tai members said, “We will execute the three prisoners for the revenge of the death of our comrade, Cpl Nakano. This Matsumoto’s Unit had a conflict several weeks ago at Kesa village, which is located at the head of the Ramu River. The three prisoners were blindfolded and escorted down the mountain to the execution ground by the Kempei Tai members and Sgt Major Kawawa, Cpl Ishikawa and S.Pvt Ozawa. After about 20 minutes had elapsed, Matsumoto’s Kempei Tai group came back and said, “The execution is over now, we will proceed back immediately” and walked towards Kempei Tai Headquarters."

Recovery of Remains
Postwar, New Guinea natives assisted US Army AGRS to locate and recover the remains of at least two members of the crew from the graves where they were buried at Amron. These remains were buried at Finschhafen Cemetery as unknowns.

On March 15, 1948, that dental charts for unknowns X-17 and X-14 compared favorably with those of Herry and Koscelneck, but awaited further medical evidence before making an identification. Later, these remains were positively identified.

Wreckage
David Pennefather discovered the plane on September 5, 1979:
"I was a keen diver and lived in Madang at that time. I was snorkeling off Wongat looking for a reported sunken aircraft said to have crashed there. After hours in the water, I dived down for the last time and there on the seabed lay the B-25. I returned to Madang grabbed some scuba gear and with another diver headed back to explore and photograph the aircraft. Within a few days of the discovery, vandals removed the side guns and other artifacts."

Since then, this wreck has become a popular dive site.  It is fully intact except for the port engine which is missing (torn off during the ditching). The port wing tip is at 12-15 meters and the starboard wing is at 25 meters. The main body of the plane is at about 18 meters depth. The four machine guns are visible through the damaged nose section and ammunition hoppers visible. There is still a considerable number of 50 caliber rounds inside but they are cemented into place by sealife. Both cockpit hatches are open. Large sponges and fans cover the wreck.

Memorials
Zimmerman was officially delcared dead the day of the mission. He is memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery.

Koscelnak is buried at Manila American Cemetery at plot C row 16 grave 59.

Anderson was buried in 1950 at Aspermont Cemetery in Aspermont, TX at block N.

References
The Bomber Reef a DVD by Walt Deas tells the complete history of this aircraft and its wartime mission, and explores the wreck underwater.
Death At Amron by Walt Deas
National Geographic April 1988 page 436
FindAGrave - Hugh Anderson (grave photo and news articles)

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Last Updated
March 5, 2013

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