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| USAAF 5th AF 43rd BG 403rd BS  USAAF 1941 |
Pilot Major Thomas N. Charles, O-277364 C. O. 403rd BS (MIA / KIA) Calhoun, TN Co-Pilot 2nd Lt Randall O. Cotton, O-726194 (MIA / KIA) Ennis, TX Navigator 2nd Lt Harry O. Davis, Jr., O-725056 (MIA / KIA) China Bombardier 2nd Lt James R. Ozanne, Jr., O-726014 (MIA / KIA) Chicago, IL Crew 2nd Lt John E. Titus, O-435715 (MIA / KIA) Linn County, IA Crew S/Sgt Merle L. Hartburg, 12024069 (MIA / KIA) Sergeant, PA Crew Sgt Omar B. Benson, 18060281 (MIA / KIA) Palestine, TX Crew Sgt Alvin D. Futhey, 18052685 (MIA / KIA) Garfield County, OK Crew Sgt Charles Goldsmith, 13046011 (MIA / KIA) Philadelphia, PA Assistant Radio Cpl Jay C. Asher, 17024475 (MIA / KIA) Laramie County, WY Waist Gunner Cpl Richard J. Evans, 17038314 (MIA / KIA) Lancaster County, NE MIA November 29, 1942 MACR none Aircraft History Built by Boeing at Seattle. Constructors Number 3231. On August 1, 1942 delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-17F-25-BO Flying Fortress serial number 41-24546. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 43rd Bombardment Group (43rd BG), 403rd Bombardment Squadron (403rd BS). No known nose art or nickname. Mission History On November 29, 1942 at 11:45 took off from Turnbull Airfield (No. 3 Strip) near Milne Bay piloted by 2nd Lt John E. Titus on a mission to shadow a Japanese convoy of four destroyers bound for Buna with reinforcements, that had been bombed earlier in the day. At 5:30pm, this B-17 radioed that it had made contact with enemy convoy in the Vitiaz Strait south of Umboi Island (Rooke, Rook). This was the last radio transmission. When this bomber failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Possibly, this bomber was likely hit by anti-aircraft fire from the destroyers as they claimed a B-17 possibily shot down. Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead January 7, 1946. Every member of the crew earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. All are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Titus was promoted to the rank of 1st Lieutenant, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Oak Shade Cemetery in Marion, Iowa at section 3, lot 8, space 8. Charles also has a memorial marker at Lynnhurst Cemetery in Knoxville, TN. Ozanne also has a memorial marker at Forest Grove Cemetery in Middlebury, IN at section 1, row 10, site 9. Asher also has a memorial marker at Kearney Cemetery in Kearney, NB. Relatives Don Dreyer (nephew of Jay C. Asher) Steve Edwards (relative of Richard J. Evans): "They put a stone up for him in the vet section of the cemetery in Kearney, NE. I’m getting the personal letters located. It was interesting that back when his Mom was still alive, in her eighties, I had a keen interest to know more about him because it was the end of that family line. Everyone in her family said she didn't want to talk about it and had shunned the thought. Nothing could have been father from the truth, she retrieved all his letters and the MIA records, talked at length and that’s how I, at least, had a bit of working knowledge. The letter’s are classic, and read like a 1940’s movie script. You really got the feel for the time, his commitment, and his frustration with the guys at home that criticized the war effort then and how he chastised them for big talk and no action." References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - John E. Titus NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Thomas N. Charles NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Randall O. Cotton NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Harry O. Davis, Jr. NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - James R. Ozanne, Jr. NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Merle L. Hartburg NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Omar B. Benson NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Alvin D. Futhey NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Charles Goldsmith NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Jay C. Asher NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Richard J. Evans USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-17F-25-BO Fortress 41-24546 "24546 delivered to Cheyenne Aug 2, 1942; transferred to Hamilton Sep 11, 1942; assigned to 5th Air Force, 43rd BG, 403rd BS at Sumac Sep 17, 1942. WO October 31, 1944." No Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) was created for this loss 43rd Bomb Group History microfilm, frame 244 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John E. Titus FindAGrave - 1Lt John Elliott Titus (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Lieut John Elliott Titus (photo, news, memorial marker photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Thomas N. Charles FindAGrave - Maj Thomas Nixon Charles (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Thomas Nixon Charles (memorial marker photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Randall O. Cotton FindAGrave - 1Lt Randall Odell Cotton (photo, tablets of the missing photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Harry O. Davis, Jr. FindAGrave - 1Lt Harry O Davis Jr. (news, tablets of the missing photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - James R. Ozanne, Jr. FindAGrave - 1Lt James Roy Ozanne Jr. (photo, obituary, tablets of missing) FindAGrave - 1LT James Roy Ozanne Jr. (memorial marker photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Merle L. Hartburg FindAGrave - SSgt Merle L Hartburg (photo, tablets of the missing) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Omar B. Benson FindAGrave - Sgt Omar Beryle Benson (tablets of the missing) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Alvin D. Futhey FindAGrave - Sgt Alvin D Futhey (tablets of the missing photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Charles Goldsmith FindAGrave - Sgt Charles Goldsmith (tablets of the missing photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Jay C. Asher FindAGrave - Corp Jay Clinton Asher (photo, tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - CPL Jay Clinton “Clint” Asher (lost at sea) FindAGrave - CPL Jay Clinton Asher (photo, memorial marker photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Richard J. Evans FindAGrave - CPL Richard J Evans (tablets of the missing) PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - B-17F Flying Fortress 41-24546 Pride of Seattle (1998) page 14 Fortress Against The Sun (2001) page 300 Tuluvu's Air War, Chapter I by Richard Dunn Ken's Men Against The Empire Volume I (2016) pages 90-91 (November 29, 1942), 312 (November 29, 1942 41-24546), 405 (index Titus) Thanks to Steve Birdsall and Richard Dunn 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
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