USAAF
5th AF
38th BG
405th BS

August 5, 1943
Peter Maynard 1986

Walt Brenner 1989


Rich Taylor 1997


Walt Deas 2001

Aircraft History
This aircraft arrived at 14 Mile Strip, Port Moresby from the USA named 'Elusive Lizzie' and that was quickly changed to 'Miss America' this was then completely covered up by a large 'Green Dragon' insignia and nose art of the 38th BG.

Crash Landing and Execution
Took off from Durand Drome on a barge sweep and strike against Madang Airstrip. Damaged by anti-aircraft fire, it ditched between Wongat Island and the coast of New Guinea.  The Engineer/gunner. S/Sgt. Raymond J. Zimmerman drowned in the crash. The crew swam to Wongat Island where they were captured.

POW Fates
Taken and held in the Japanese Army Kempei Tai Headquarters at Amron and interrogated. The pilot, Major Cox was seporated from his crew and flown to Rabaul, and then taken by ship to Japan. He survived the war at the Omori POW Camp in Tokyo.

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

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."

On 15 March 1948, Philrycam advised that dental charts of unknowns X17 and X14 buried at Finschhafen compared favorably with those of Herry and Koscelneck, but were awaiting further medical evidence before making an identification.

Discovery of the Bomber
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."

Wreckage
A popular site for SCUBA divers.  It is fully intact except for the port engine which is missing (torn off in the crash), the port wing tip is at 12-15 meters and the starboard wing at 25 meters. The main body of the plane is about 18 meters deep. Starting from the front, the four 50 cal guns are very obvious and through the damaged nose section the four ammunition hoppers that fed the guns can clearly be seen. There is still a considerable number of rounds still in the hoppers but they are cemented into place by concretions. The cockpit hatches are open. Large sponges and fans now grow on the wreck.

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. Also his research Death At Amron.
National Geographic April 1988 page 436

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