USAAF
5th AF
38th BG
71st BS
1944
William Smith 1944
Pilot 1st Lt Eugene E Bensonm, O-735510
Co-Pilot 1st
Lt. William Joseph Smith, O-742619
Navigator Ist Lt Hollie Rushing, O-803152
Radio T/Sgt James C Healan, 34350583 (KIA)
Gunner Sgt Albert J. Gross, 39244301 (KIA)
Ditched February 15, 1944
Aircraft History
The bomber had a nose art of the Walt Disney's "Big
Bad Wolf" cartoon
character.
Mission History
B-25 "Pissonit" was out
on its first and only mission, the first B-25 raid on Kavieng.
It was hit by anti-aircraft fire over the target, set on fire,
and ditched about a mile offshore 2-3 miles off
North Cape near Kavieng. The radio operator
bailed out, but was never found. Gunner Gross
was observed to parachute out of the plane after it was hit
and caught fire, but the plane was too low and he was killed.
Healan was killed when the plane hit the water. The three other
crew waited in the water for about two hours, clinging to pilot
William Smith's parachute. Their life
raft had
burned when their plane ditched. The remaining three crew
were rescued by PBY 08139 piloted
by Nate
Gordon which landed despite rough seas and Japanese fire. Gordon
earned the Medal of Honor for this action.
Wreckage
The wreck of this B-25 has never been found.
B-25
William Smith
