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Pilot Captain John "Duke" L. Dufrane, Jr., O-022810 (MIA / KIA) CA Co-Pilot 1st Lt. Richard V. W. Negley Jr., O-022108 (MIA / KIA) San Antonio, TX Navigator 2nd Lt. Samuel S. Pattillo, O-412152 (MIA / KIA) Denison, TX Bombardier 2nd Lt. Willis W. Burney, O-426112 (MIA / KIA) Trickham, TX Engineer SSgt Jack W. Coleman, 6549391 (MIA / KIA) Wasco, CA Gunner Cpl Howard L. Ellis, 6581672 (MIA / KIA) Whatcom County, WA Radio Sgt Louis H. Keightley, 6566286 (MIA / KIA) IA MIA February 8, 1942 MACR 16154 Aircraft History Built by Boeing at Seattle. Constructors Number 2267. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-17E Flying Fortress serial number 41-2456. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 7th Bombardment Group (7th BG), 9th Bombardment Squadron (9th BS). No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On February 8, 1942 at 7:35am took off from Singosari Airfield (Malang) on Java piloted by Captain John L. Dufrane armed with seven 100 pound bombs and a bomb bay fuel tank leading a formation of nine B-17s on a bombing mission against Kendari II Airfield on Celebes (Sulawesi). Over the target, a dozen Japanese fighters trailed the formation from behind and made head on attacks. When this bomber failed to return it was listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Also lost was B-17E 41-2492 pilot 1st Lt. William J. Prichard (MIA). Damage was B-17E 41-2483. Damaged was B-17E 41-2455 hit in the bomb bay fuel tank causing it to catch fire and was jettisoned. Afterwards, the remaining B-17s aborted the mission and landed at Djogjakarta Airfield on Java. Memorials The entire crew is officially declared dead the day of the mission. All are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Dufrane earned the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC), posthumously for the mission and the Purple Heart, posthumously. Negley earned the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC), posthumously for the mission and the Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Mission Burial Park South in San Antonio, TX. Pattillo earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Fairview Cemetery in Denison, TX. Burney earned the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC), posthumously for the mission and the Purple Heart, posthumously. Coleman earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Ellis earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Keightley earned the Silver Star, Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart, posthumously. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-17E Flying Fortress 41-2456 Missing Air Crew Report 16154 (MACR 16154) created retroactively circa 1946 Fortress Against The Sun (2001) pages 102 (Dufrane B-17E 41-2459 arrival Java), 106 (Dufrane B-17E 41-2459), 118-119 (January 29, 1942 Dufrane co-pilot B-17E 41-2454), 122-125 (February 8, 1942), 142 (Dufrane strafed in parachute), 385 (41-2456) 456 (index DuFrane) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John L. Du Frame Jr. sic Dufrane FindAGrave - Capt John Louis “Duke” Du Frane Jr. (tablets of the missing) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Richard V. W. Negley Jr. FindAGrave - 1LT Richard Van Wyck Negley Jr. (photo, tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - 1LT Richard Van Wyck Negley Jr. (photo, memorial marker photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Samuel S. Pattillo FindAGrave - 2Lt Samuel Seay Pattillo (photo, tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - 2LT Samuel Seay Pattillo (photo, memorial marker photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Willis W. Burney FindAGrave - 2Lt Willis Weldon Burney (obituary, tablets of the missing) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Jack W. Coleman FindAGrave - SSgt Jack William Coleman (tablets of the missing) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Howard L. Ellis FindAGrave - Corp Howard L Ellis (tablets of the missing photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Louis H. Keightley FindAGrave - Sgt Louis H Keightley (tablets of the missing) 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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