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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) NY Bombardier 2nd Lt. Jack K. Wisener, O-662327 (POW, survived) Ponta, TX Navigator 1st Lt. Philip L. Bek, O-724280 (POW, executed, BR) Ingham County, MI Engineer T/Sgt Leonard J. Skaar, 17017955 (KIA, BR) Wykoff, MN Gunner S/Sgt Stewart D. Nisbet, 31053245 (KIA, BR) New Haven County, CT Gunner S/Sgt Maurice F. Sayer, 17038428 (KIA, BR) Harlan County, NB Gunner Sgt Chris B. Cousino, 15012471 (KIA, BR) Lucas County, OH Gunner Sgt Boyd H. Parker, 19004786 (KIA, BR) Douglas County, OR Gunner Cpl Julius Hamershlag, 32160683 (KIA, BR) Kings County, NY Crashed June 13, 1943 at 3:20am MACR 16189 Aircraft History Built by Boeing at Seattle. Constructors Number 3139. 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 (5th AF), 19th Bombardment Group (19th BG), 28th Bombardment Squadron (28th BS). No known nickname or nose art. Later, transferred to the 43rd Bombardment Group (43rd BG), 65th Bombardment Squadron (65th BS). 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 dove steeply to escape the beam. Incorrectly believing the bomber was hit and going down, tail gunner Pfc Arthur Mirarchi, 12029834 of Onondaga County, New York bailed out. He landed in the sea south of Tavurvur and was captured by Makinami and taken to Rabaul where he was handed over to the 81 Navy Garrison Unit and was imprisoned as a Prisoner Of War (POW) and did not survive captivity. He was officially declared dead on December 17, 1945. He is memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery. He also has a memorial marker at Saint Joseph's Cemetery in Pittsfield, MA. Mission History On June 13, 1943 took off from 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby piloted by 1st Lt. John M. Woodard as one of seven B-17s on a night bombing mission against Vunakanau Airfield near Rabaul. Over the target at 6,000' at 2:45am while on the bomb run, this B-17 was hit by anti-aircraft fire but continued under control, then went down. 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 (65th BS) 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 caught in search light beams at 3:14am and intercepted from below by a J1N1 Irving night fighter pilot Shigetoshi Kudo using his upward firing 20mm cannons. This 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 forward portion of the bomber was navigator Bek. Wisener hurriedly put on his parachute and jumped out the nose hatch with only the shoulder straps and one leg strap attached. Bek also managed to bail out the same hatch. Damaged and on fire, this B-17 crashed northeast of of Ubili Airfield (Sule) near Ulamona. Diary Jose Holguin June 13, 1943: "As we made our getaway we saw Major Luntly (sp?) being hit by night fighters, but he managed to shake them off. We circled wide around the target area and then headed for home at 03:26. As we got on course, we saw something burning in mid air and then crash to the ground about 20 miles south of the target. A great explosion followed. We knew it was one of our bombers and radioed in to Port Moresby. On the way home we could easily see the stars and arrived home without loosing any time. 07:00 we were briefed and when Lt. Woodard did not arrive we concluded it was he who crashed." [On June 26, 1943 Holguin was navigator aboard B-17E "Naughty But Nice" 41-2430 shot down by the same J1N1 Irving pilot Shigetoshi Kudo]. Fates of the Crew Bek and Wisener successfully bailed out and were later captured by the Japanese and became Prisoners Of War (POWs). Both were transported to Rabaul and detained by the Keibitai 81st Naval Guard Unit at the Japanese Navy POW Camp at Rabaul. 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 The crash site was investigated during the war by the Japanese. Likely, they buried remains at the crash site. In 1947 (or possibly 1949) two American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) personnel walked to this crash site from the coast. They 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 plane's serial number. Brian Bennett adds: "After walking in to the crash site in 1985 with Bill Holswich and being on site for two days we were both struck by the fact that the site was not disturbed, there was a lot of wreckage impacted into the ground. It was a fairly complex site and I had difficulty confirming the serial number. I located a servicing platform on the site that had a different serial number. It took me the two days to confirm identification. The site was again visited by CIL-HI about 20 years ago (circa 1989) but they were not there very long. The site was big enough to warrant a full 30 day mission, but this never happened. There is a very good chance that there are still significant remains on site as there are at least several on B-17F 41-24543 which is just over the way." 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. Recovery of Remains The remains recovered in 1947 (or possibly 1949) were transported to the United States for burial. The remains of Skaar and Bek were individually identified. The rest of the crew Woodard, Emerick, Nisbet, Sayer, Cousino, Parker, Hamershlag were not individually identified. Memorials Woodard, Emerick, Nisbet, Sayer, Cousino, Parker, Hamershlag were buried on February 15, 1950 in a group burial at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery at Section 78 Site 991-992. During March 1950 Skaar was buried at Greenlawn Cemetery in Wykoff, MN. Bek is buried at Riverside Catholic Cemetery in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Edward Rogers adds: "Lt. Bek's name is not listed on the tablets of the missing at the ABMC website. While this suggests that his remains were recovered all of the other men who were executed with him are still listed as missing." Wisener died on March 20, 1980. His buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in Wells, TX. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Arthur Mirarchi NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - John M. Woodard NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Russell S. Emerick NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Jack K. Wisener NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Philip L. Bek NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Leonard J. Skaar NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Stewart D. Nisbet NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Maurice F. Sayer NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Chris B. Cousino NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Boyd H. Parker NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Julius Hamershlag USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-17F-10-BO Flying Fortress 41-24454 "24454 (19th BG, 28th BS, then to 43rd BG, 65th BS, "Georgia Peach") shot down by Japanese J1N1 night fighter at Ubili, PNG Jun 13, 1943. 8 KIA, 2 POW. One POW executed later." American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Arthur Mirarchi FindAGrave - PFC Arthur Mirarchi (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - PFC Arthur S. Mirarchi (memorial marker photo) Missing Air Crew Report 16189 (MACR 16189) was created retroactively, circa 1945-1946 File 6950646 [Unidentified] Missing U.S. Aircraft [Part 1] p.22 National Archives, Australia Jack K. Wisener Bombardier B-17F "Georgia Peach" 41-24454 NARA "World War II Prisoners of War Data File" Jack K. Wisener Mirarchi interrogation references appear in ATIS Enemy Publication No. 280, pages 16-17, ATIS No. 76, pages 6-7, ATIS 1283, item 4 pages 3-5 via Henry Sakaida PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - B-17 Flying Fortress 41-24454 Moonlight Interceptor (1985) page 38 Pride of Seattle (1998) page 9 FindAGrave - John M Woodard (grave photo) FindAGrave - Russell S Emerick (grave photo) FindAGrave - Jack King Wisener (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - Lt. Philip L. Bek FindAGrave - TSGT Leonard J Skaar (grave) FindAGrave - Stewart D Nisbet (grave photo) FindAGrave - Maurice F Sayer (grave photo) FindAGrave - Chris B Cousino (grave photo) FindAGrave - Boyd H Parker (grave photo) FindAGrave - Julius Hamershlag (grave photo) Michigan State University - The Lieutenant Philip Louis Bek Squadron (via WayBackMachine) The Siege of Rabaul (1996) by Henry Sakaida pages 93 (Rabaul's Military Prisoners - Beck [sic Bek]), 96 (Rabaul's Military Prisoners - Wisener) Prisoners in Rabaul: Civilians in Captivity, 1942-1945 (2012) page 100 Ken’s Men Against The Empire Volume I (2016) pages 145-146, 204, 211, 309 (POW Bek execution), 318, 351, 352, 386 (index Bek) Thanks to Edward Rogers, Brian Bennett, Henry Sakaida and Steve Birdsall for additional information Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated June 19, 2025
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