USAAF
13th AF
42nd BG
69th BS
Pilot 1st
Lt. Lloyd D. Spies, O-727793 (KIA)
Co-Pilot 2nd
Lt. George W. Postel, O-796876 (KIA)
Bomb-Nav 1st
Lt. Frederick W. Dunlap, O-663360 (Palisade, NJ) (KIA)
Radio S/Sgt
Ephraim Dixon, 17040415 (KIA)
Engineer S/Sgt.
James V. Riffel, 19102848 (KIA)
Gunner S/Sgt
Joseph Horvath, 11072667 (KIA)
Crashed October 6, 1943 at 18:48
MACR 786
Mission
History
Took off from Guadalcanal on a dusk parafrag bombing mission
against Kahili Airfield, crashed near Moli Point at 18:48 local time and was seen to break up on impact with the sea.
Mark H. Costello, 2nd Lt. 69th BS adds:
"We were about 5 miles out from Moli Point (Moila Point) when I looked back and saw Lieutenant Spies airplane hit the water and cartwheel to the left. It's my opinion that no one got out of the wreck."
A History of the 42nd Bombardment Group (October 6, 1943):
"Lt. Lloyd D. Spies and crew were lost on this one when their plane was shot down 300 feet off the target, cart wheeling into the water. There were no survivors."
Relatives
David Postel (great-nephew of Postel):
"The co-pilot was my great uncle, George Postel. Any more info on the wreck site, pictures, etc would be greatly appreciated by my family. I currently have George Postel's flight log, and some of his other personal affects but really little info otherwise. No pictures from his time there or anything like that. It would be nice to be able to put a location on where he actually is now."
References
MACR via AccidentReports.com / Mike Stowe
Thanks to Daniel Leahy for additional information
B-25
MIA
42nd BG Mission
History
