USAAF
5th Fighter Command
HQ Squadron
Pilot F/O Richard W. Smith, T-185613
Co-Pilot F/O Cecil R. McElhiney, T-185679
Radio 2nd Lt. Robert M. Mona, O-734582
Engineer Sgt Glen A Walter, 18069911
Radio
Engineer T/Sgt Harold S. Macha, 6265067
Gunner S/Sgt Jack W. Holt, 14056454
Gunner Sgt Charles E.Dawson, Jr., 38013205
Crashed October 16, 1943
MACR 3262
Aircraft History
This PBY was used by the USAAF. It also had USAAF serial numbers 43-145080
and 43-99395.
Mission History
Departed Goodenough Island for a search and rescue mission in the
Louisiade
Archipelago, and return to Dobodura. Crashed
vertically and burnt on impact, east of Pongani, all crew
killed.
Discovery
WO2 D.C. Frame, a Police Officer, based at Tufi located the
wreck on March 16, 1944.
John Douglas adds:
"I visited this site in 1991, took a boat from Oro Bay to the
crash Waiwa village. Villagers were reluctant to show us the
site, and required a fee to see it. We then landed at beach at
Waiwa Bay, came to wing tip, up a hillside, found the main body
of wreckage
on
the
ridge,
with
tail
on top. Must
have come in low cliped the wing and crashed. Found burnt
remains of a suitcase, latches and handle. Found some US Navy cutlarly.
Bones sticking out of the wreckage,
found machine guns and a big stanless
steel
anchor. Later,
got video people from Australia to film it [for Winged
Ghosts of the Pacific], and the also found
bones. Brian
Bennett went there a few years ago, but was not able to find
bones."
PBY
