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| USAAF 5th AF 19th BG |
Pilot 1st Lt. Jack Adams, O-22242 (survived) Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. William L. Railing (survived) Navigator 2nd Lt. Harry J. Schreiber (WIA, survived) Bombardier M/Sgt John O. Fleming (survived) Radio ? (WIA, survived) Gunner Pfc Paul A. Reimer (survived) Gunner Pfc John E. Makela (survived) Force Landed December 14, 1941 MACR none Aircraft History Built by Boeing at Seattle completed as the 15th model D manufactured. Constructors Number 2101. Delivered to the the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC) as B-17D Flying Fortress serial number 40-3073. On June 20, 1941 became part of the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF). Flown from Hamilton Field to Hickam Field on Oahu in Hawaii. In early September 1941 departs Hickam Field as part of a B-17 formation across the Pacific bound for the Philippines. On September 5, 1941 lands at Midway Airfield to refuel. On September 9, 1941 lands at 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby in New Guinea to refuel. On September 10, 1941 lands at Batchelor Field near Darwin to refuel and were the first B-17 Flying Fortress bombers in Australia then departs on the last leg of the flight to the Philippines. At the time, this was the longest mass flight of land based aircraft in the world. On December 2, 1941 attached to the 19th Bombardment Group (19th BG), part of the Far East Air Force (FEAF). Assigned to pilot Lt. Bohnaker. Wartime History On December 10, 1941 at 2:00pm took off from Clark Field piloting B-17D Flying Fortress 40-3073 armed with nineteen 100 pound bombs on a bombing mission against Aparri. Over the target, he faced no enemy fighters or anti-aircraft fire and made two bomb runs against a "Japanese cruiser" [sic] but did not score any hits then dropped his last two bombs on a Japanese cargo ship. and missed. Afterwards, landed at Clark Field and was refueled an at 6:30pm took off on a flight bound for Del Monte Airfield but encountered a storm and returned to Clark Field. On December 11, 1941 in the afternoon took off from Clark Field piloted by Lt. Bohnaker with B-17D 40-3070 on a flight south to Del Monte Airfield and on the ground painted with green and brown paint to camoflage the bomber. Mission History On December 14, 1941 took off from from Del Monte Airfield to bomb Japanese transports off Legaspi. After the bomb run, this B-17 was intercepted by five A6M2 Zeros from Tainan Kōkūtai (Tainan Air Group) and claimed by pilots Saeki and Hidaka. Aboard the B-17, the navigator and radio operator were wounded and the gunners claimed two attacking aircraft shot down. Damaged, this B-17 force landed in a rice paddy in the center of Masbate Island. After it crashed, the plane was strafed by the same Zeros. At 11:00pm that evening Fleming and the rear gunner burned the bomber. Fates of the Crew Afterwards, the entire crew was rescued by Filipinos and returned to their unit during March 1942. References 19th Bombardment Group History - December 14, 1941 [Del Monte] “Lts. Connally, Ford, Vandevanter, Coates, Wheless, and Adams with regular crews were scheduled to take off at 1140 on bombing mission to Legaspi. . . . Lt. Adams and Lt. Vandevanter, with Burke replacing Lt. Miller on Vandevanter’s crew, attacked transports in same area from 21,000'. Lt. Adams dropped all bombs and started to return to Del Monte when attacked by six (6) enemy pursuit. With two engines out of commission by gun fire he was forced to make a crash landing on Masbate. The plane was destroyed by enemy straffing fire after landing, but no casualties were suffered by crew. Results of bombing unknown. The 19th Bomb Group (Turner Publishing 2000) p. 107 “Mindanao” by M/Sgt J.O. Fleming: On this particular flight I was bombardier, Capt. Jack Adams Pilot and Lt. Railing Co-Pilot. We took off in the early morning, dropped our bombs at about 12 noon, were shot down, landing on Mesabate [Masbate] Island. The radio operator was wounded by gunfire, and we crash landed onto a rice paddy. After the plane stopped, we looked to our left and saw a Jap pursuit trying to strafe us.. Everyone got out but the Co-Pilot, who decided it was safer to stay inside. The pursuit made one pass and was then joined by another pursuit and flew off. We then went to the hospital at Mesabate and had physical examinations given us. We spent several hours being examined by a native doctor. The rear gunner and myself went out about 11 that evening and burned the plane. Next morning were taken to the Mesabate Mining Corp. We stayed there until the morning of the 21st and left by outrigger canoe to the Island of Panay, and reported to the Provincial Governor, who sent us down to the 61st Filipino Regiment of Artillery, where we reported to the Colonel in charge. We stayed with that outfit until we departed for Mindanao on Jan. 3rd. We stayed with the 19th GP on Mindanao until the 20th of January, then departing for Australia in an LB-30. We were in Australia overnight and arrived in Java on Jan. 27th.” Edgar D. Whitcomb Biography, Chapter 6 Harry Schreiber Air University Press 1995 Bloody Shambles Vol. I page 189 Fortress Against The Sun (2001) pages 62, 64, 69-70 (December 10, 1941), 72 (December 11, 1941), 74-75, 383, 396 Thanks to Edward Rogers for research and analysis Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated
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