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Pilot 1st Lt. Guilford R. Montgomery (survived) Pierre, SD Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. Curtis J. Holdridge (survived) Atlas, OK Navigator 2nd Lt. Robert F. Wasson (survived) Ector County, TX Bombardier SSgt Stanley C. Jackola (survived) Portland, OR Engineer TSgt Armando G. Ramirez, 06064316 (survived) Puerto Rico / Bronx, NY Asst Engineer SSgt Clevis O. Jones (survived) Chatham, VA Radio Cpl William F. Johnson (survived) Lowell, Mass Asst Radio Pfc Lincoln H. Dapron Asst (New York, NY) Ditched December 10, 1941 MACR none Aircraft History Built by Boeing at Seattle completed as the 28th model D manufactured. Constructors Number 2114. Delivered to the the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC) as B-17D Flying Fortress serial number 40-3086. On June 20, 1941 became part of the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF). Wartime History Assigned to the 7th Bombardment Group (7th BG), 14th Bombardment Squadron (14th BS). No known nickname, nose art or markings. 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). Mission History On December 10, 1941 in the early morning took off from San Marcelino Airfield piloted by 1st Lt. Guilford R. Montgomery and at 7:30am lands at Clark Field. On the ground, armed with bombs for an upcoming mission but only a single 600 pound bomb was loaded before an air raid warning. By 9:30am took off again and flew northward with B-17D pilot Captain Parsel to bomb Japanese forces at Vigan. Returning, this bomber was instructed not to return to Clark Field and instead fly further south to land at Del Monte Airfield on Mindanao. Flying in the dark and storms, Montgomery attempted to land at Zamboanga Airfield but around 10:00pm ran out of fuel and ditched into rough seas approximately four miles off off Zamboanga. Fate of the Crew The entire crew survived the ditching with only minor injuries and swam ashore by 2:00am. Rescue Afterwards, a B-18 Bolo piloted by Major C. B. Whitney and Major W. Rotherham from 5th Air Base Group took off from Del Monte Airfield and landed at Zamboanga Airfield to pickup the the crew. During take off, the overloaded B-18 barely cleared the runway and flew them to Del Monte Airfield. Later, the crew with the exception of Raimirez, Johnson and Dapon were evacuated by air and flown south to Australia. Raimirez, Johnson and Dapon remained on Mindanao. In early May 1942 Raimirez and Johnson became Prisoners Of War (POW). Dapon became a guerrilla under Colonel Fertig. Johnson Memorials Montgomery continued in the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and served in the Korean War and Vietnam War, retiring with the rank of Colonel. He passed away on December 26, 1999 at age 85. He is buried at Florida National Cemetery at section 455 grave 466. Jackola continued in the U.S. Air Force (USAF) retiring with the rank of Lt. Colonel. He passed away September 9, 2002 at age 84 and is buried at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) at section T site 94. Ramirez continued in the U.S. Air Force (USAF) retiring with the rank of Master Sergeant. He passed away on August 27, 1965 at age 62 and is buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery at section 2C site 1030. Holdridge retired with the rank of Major. He eared the Silver Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters. He passed away September 10, 1968 at age 51 and is buried at Altus Cemetery in Altus, OK at plot 5-1, lot 41B. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Curtis J. Holdridge NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Robert F. Wasson NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Armando G. Ramirez USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-17C Fortress 40-3086 "3086 (19th BG) ditched off Zamboanga Dec 10, 1941." Fortress Against The Sun (2001) pages 68, 73, footnote 46 (December 10, 1941), 383 (40-3086) They Fought with What They Had page 151 "Lt. Montgomery and his crew had been fetched back from Zamboanga by Majs. C. B. Whitney and W. Rotherham of the 5th Air Base Group in one of their unarmed B-18s." NARA World War II Prisoners of War Data File - Armando G. Ramirez NARA World War II Prisoners of War Data File - William F. Johnson FindAGrave - Guilford Roland Montgomery (photo) FindAGrave - Curtis James Holdridge (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - Stanley C. Jackola (grave photo) FindAGrave - Armando George Ramirez (grave photo) 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 April 19, 2021
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