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USAAF 5th AF 43rd BG 65th BS Former Assignments 19th BG 28th BS ![]() Fletcher Feb 28, 1943 ![]() Winfrey March 26, 1943 ![]() Sutton c1943 ![]() Brian Bennett 1985 |
Pilot 1st Lt. John M. Woodard, O-725563 (KIA, BR) Ontario, TX Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. Russell S. Emerick, O-793089 (KIA, BR) Bombardier 2nd Lt. Jack K. Wisener, O-662327 (POW, survived) Ponta, TX Navigator 1st Lt. Philip L. Bek, O-724280 (POW, executed, BR) Engineer T/Sgt. Leonard J. Skarr, 17017955 (KIA, BR) Gunner S/Sgt. Stewart D. Nisbet, 31053245 (KIA, BR) Gunner S/Sgt. Maurice F. Sayer, 17038428 (KIA, BR) Gunner Sgt. Chris B. Cousino, 15012471 (KIA, BR) Gunner Sgt. Boyd H. Parker, 19004786 (KIA, BR) Gunner Cpl. Julius Hamershlag, 32160683 (KIA, BR) Crashed June 13, 1943 at 3:20am MACR 16189 Aircraft History Built by Boeing at Seattle. On July 10, 1942 delivered to the U. S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-17F-10-BO Flying Fortress serial number 41-24454. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force, 19th Bombardment Group, 28th Bombardment Squadron. No known nickname or nose art. Later, transferred to the 43rd Bombardment Group, 65th Bombardment Squadron. Nicknamed "Georgia Peach" with the name painted in yellow block letters. Later, a seated red headed woman wearing high heels and lingerie and holding a paper with "V" spelled in Morse code (dot, dot, dot, dash). On the left side of the nose below the cockpit was a scoreboard with bomb markings indicating missions flown and silhouettes for aircraft and ships claimed. On February 23, 1943 took off from 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby on a night mission over Rabaul. Over the target, this B-17 was caught in searchlights and dived steeply to escape the beam. Incorrectly believing the bomber was hit and going down, tail gunner Pfc Arthur Mirarchi, 12029834 of New York bailed out. He landed in the sea south of Tavurvur and was captured by Makinami and transported to Rabaul where he was handed over to the 81 Navy Garrison Unit and was imprisoned as a Prisoner Of War (POW). He did not survive captivity and was officially declared dead on December 17, 1945. He is memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery. Mission History When this B-17 failed to return, it was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA). That same night, two other bombers were damaged: one B-17 from the 65th Bombardment Squadron and B-17F "The Old Man" 41-24403 was badly damaged by anti-aircraft and night fighter attacks. Although a Japanese night fighter had been seen in the area, the loss was officially attributed to heavy anti-aircraft fire. In fact, this B-17 was intercepted from below by a night fighter J1N1 Irving piloted by Shigetoshi Kudo after it had been caught in search light beams at 3:14am. The bomber was hit by 20mm cannon shells and fatally damaged. In the nose, bombardier Wisener had removed his parachute and was attending to paperwork when the B-17 was unexpectedly and violently hit. Wisener entered the cockpit and saw that both pilots and the top turret gunner were dead. The only other person still alive in the nose was navigator Bek. Wisener hurriedly put on his parachute and jumped with only the shoulder straps and one leg strap attached from the nose escape hatch. Bek also managed to bail out through the same hatch. The fatally damaged and on fire, this B-17 crashed northeast of of Ubili Airfield (Sule) near Ulamona. Jose Holguin noted in his diary on June 13, 1943: Fates of the Crew On November 25, 1943 Bek was executed with several other prisoners from the 43rd Bombardment Group. Postwar, the Japanese falsely claimed that Bek was aboard the Kokai Maru that departing February 20, 1944 and was sunk by U. S. aircraft. This was a false story to cover up his execution. Wisener bailed out and landed in the jungle and wandered for nine days until he found a plantation with a "Dutchman" owner, who gave him food, but sent a runner to nearby Japanese forces who arrived soon after and took him prisoner and transported him to Rabaul detained by the Japanese Navy Keibitai (Naval Special Police), 81st Naval Guard Unit at the Japanese Navy POW Camp at Rabaul. As a prisoner, Wisener was beaten and interrogated repeatedly. Later, he was transported to Japan and held at Omori POW Camp near Tokyo. He survived the war and was liberated and returned to the United States. Wreckage In 1947 (or possibly 1949) two American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) personnel walked to this crash site from the coast and spent a few hours at the crash site, and recovered a human remains. On July 8, 1985 a team from US Army CILHI with Brian Bennett visited the crash site and confirmed the serial number. Brian Bennett adds: Later, circa 1989(?) another team from US Army CILHI visited the crash site, but did not stay for an extended period. On March 12, 2016 visited by David Flinn, Robert Rawlinson and Lance from USNS Safeguard T-ARS-50. Memorials The burial of Skarr is unknown, presumed to be a private cemetery in his hometown. Bek is buried at Riverside Catholic Cemetery in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Edward Rogers adds: Wisener died on March 20, 1980. His buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in Wells, TX. References Contribute
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