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| USAAF 5th AF 6th PRG 8th PRS Former Assignments 19th BG 435th BS 43rd BG 403rd BS    8th PRS c1943  USAAF Dec 26, 1943  Les McMahon 1959   John Loughman 1969 |
Pilot Colonel David W. Hutchison (survived) Mineral Point, WI Co-Pilot 1st Lt William H. Fairbank Jr., O-453251 (survived) Glendale, CA Crew TSgt Nicholas C. Laboda, 12033182 (survived) WA Crew Cpl Philip J. Lynch, 16013446 8th PRS (KIA, BR) Bay City, MI Crew TSgt George E. Manley, 31048318 (survived) New Haven, CT Crew Pfc Robert C. McGee, 34141064 (KIA, BR) Hamilton County, TN Crew SSgt Thomas A Lane, 39381881 (survived) Crew Pvt Ernest E. Young Jr., 14053129 (survived) McDowell County, NC Crew Cpl Hector E. Rodgers, 19070579 (survived) Yellowstone County, MT Crew Pvt Alex Black, 33115534 (survived) Allegheny County, PA Cameramen Captain Ellis W. Carter, O-192659 5th CCU (WIA, survived) Cameramen SSgt Joseph E. Hartman, 5th CCU (WIA, survived) Birmingham, AL Correspondent Pendil A. Rayner, Brisbane Telegraph (injured, died December 27, 1943) Brisbane, QLD Correspondent Ian Morrison, London Times (injured, survived) Correspondent W. Hayden Lennard, Australian Broadcasting Commission (injured, survived) Correspondent Brydon Taves, United Press (injured in crash, died December 27, 1943) New York, NY Crashed December 26, 1943 at 5:53am MACR none Aircraft History Built by Boeing at Seattle. Constructors Number 2438. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-17E Flying Fortress serial number 41-2627. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field across the Pacific to Australia. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 19th Bombardment Group (19th BG), 435th Bombardment Squadron (435th BS) "Kangaroo Squadron". During December 1942, assigned to 43rd Bombardment Group (43rd BG), 403rd Bombardment Squadron (403rd BS). Nicknamed "R.F.D. Tojo". On January 5, 1943 took off from 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby armed with 500 pound bombs as one of six B-17s from the 64th Bombardment Squadron (64th BS) on a bombing mission against Rabaul. Over the target around noon at roughly 8,500' the bombers approached from the southeast between Kokopo and Rapopo and bombed enemy shipping. B-24s claimed hits on two ships and B-17s claimed hits on nine including a destroyer. In fact, only the Keifuku Maru sustained two near misses that caused her to sink. Bomb fragments did cause fires aboard other ships and inflicted 20 casualties. Bomb fragments did cause fires aboard other ships and inflicted 20 casualties. Lost returning from the mission was B-17F "San Antonio Rose" 41-24458 (MIA, two POW). On January 6, 1943 took off on a mission to photograph submerged B-17F Flying Fortress 41-24538 and the rescue of the crew from Urasi Island. In the middle of January 1943, transfered to the 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group (6th PRG), 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron (8th PRS). The nose was painted with an eight ball, the squadron motif. This B-17 was used for long range photographic missions. Also used as the squadron transport aircraft for supplies and personnel. While in service with the 8th PRS, the left side of the nose was painted with the nose art of a billiards 8 ball on the left side of the nose. In the squadron, this B-17 was known as "8 Ball" or "The Eight-Ball" but no nickname was painted on the nose. "Eight Ballers" was the nickname of the 8th PRS. Mission History On December 26, 1943 at 5:50 am took off from 14 Mile Drome (Schwimmer) near Port Moresby on a flight to observe the amphibious landing activities at Cape Gloucester on West New Britain. That morning the weather had a zero ceiling with a thick ground fog. Before take off, reporter Pendil A. Rayner attended the briefing and wrote an account of the planned mission that ended with "lead to follow...", then handed the copy to a fellow reporter. Aboard were two cameramen from the 5th Combat Camera Unit (5th CCU) Carter and Hartman. Also, four correspondents: Pendil A. Rayner from the Brisbane Telegraph, W. Hayden Lennard from the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC), Brydon Taves who was the Australian manager of United Press (UP) and Ian Morrison from the London Times. Shortly after take off at roughly 5:53am, the B-17 crashed off the northwest end of the runway near the Laloki River. On impact, two were killed instantly: Lynch and McGee. Two others were severely injured: Rayner and Taves and both died the next day. Recovery of Remains After the crash, the bodies of Lynch and McGee wee recovered and buried at Bomana War Cemetery. Postwar, their remains were transported to Hawaii and the United States for permanent burial. Also, Taves and Rayner who died the next day were also buried at Bomana War Cemetery. Fates of the Crew Everyone aboard sustained burns and injuries and earned the Purple Heart. Afterwards, Captain Ellis W. Carter and SSgt Joseph E. Hartman were hospitalized and both were later sent to the United States to convalesce. Wreckage After the crash, the wreckage of this B-17 was stripped for usable parts then abandoned. Until the early 1970s the wreckage of this B-17 including the entire tail section and engines remained in situ where it crashed. Sometime afterwards, the tail wreckage was scrapped or otherwise removed. Possibly, some wreckage from this B-17 may remain at the site or is partially buried. Dog Tag Discovery During 2005, Thomas Auhava discovered the dog tag of Philip J. Lynch in a dump area at 14 Mile Drome. This dog tag is displayed at his Schwimmer War Museum. Memorials Lynch died in the crash on December 26, 1943. He is buried at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) plot B, grave 494. McGee died in the crash on December 26, 1943. He is buried at Forest Hills Cemetery in Chattanooga, TN. Taves was severely injured in the crash and died of his wounds on December 27, 1943. He is buried at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) at plot P, grave 1049. Rayner was severely injured in the crash and died of his wounds on December 27, 1943. He is buried at Bomana War Cemetery at B2, D, 19. Laboda passed away on March 9, 1981 at age 58. He is buried at Park Hill Cemetery Vancouver, WA. Hutchison retired from the U.S. Air Force (USAF) with the rank of Major General. He passed away September 24, 1982 at age 74. He is buried at Memorial Park Cemetery in Oklahoma City, OK. Hartman remained in the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and served in the Korean War and Vietnam. He passed away on January 6, 1999 at aged 77. He is buried at Ocean Springs, Jackson County, MS. References Note, some sources state this B-17 was bound for Australia with personnel departing for rest and recuperation (R&R). Other reports state it was a mission over the landing activities at Cape Gloucester on West New Britain. NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Nicholas C. Laboda NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Philip J. Lynch NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - George E. Manley NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Robert C. McGee NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Ernest E. Young Jr. NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Hector E. Rodgers NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Alex Black NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Joseph E. Hartman USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-17E Flying Fortress 41-2627 The Mercury "Plane Crash: Two Reporters Killed" by Frank Dexter December 29, 1943 page 2 "TUESDAY— Two war correspondents accredited to GHQ died as a result of injuries, and two were injured slightly when a combat aircraft crashed in New Guinea on Sunday. Those who died, were Pendil A. Rayner (34). of Brisbane, and Brydon Taves (29). Australian manager of American United Press. Two members of the crew were killed." The Brooklyn Daily Eagle "U.S. War Correspondent, 3 Others, Die in Plane Crash" December 28, 1943, Page 2 Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA) "5th Combat Camera Unit (5th CCU) History page 11 "On 26 December, 1943, Capt. Carter and S/Sgt Hartman took off in the B-17 “8 Ball”, a photo ship of the 8th Photo Squadron to over the landing activities at Gloucester. The plane failed on take off, crashed at the end of the strip, and burned. Four men were killed and all survivors sustained burns and injuries. Capt. Carter and S/Sgt Hartman were hospitalized and sent home for convalescence, both receiving Purple Heart, S/Sgt Hartman for the second time." The Argus "2 More War Reporters Killed: Air Crash on Way To New Britain" by Frank Dexter December 29, 1943 The Argus "Correspondents In Air Crash: 2 Killed, 2 Injured" December 29, 1943 PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - B-17E Flying Fortress 41-2627 USAF Biographies - Major General David William Hutchison FindAGrave - Gen David William Hutchison, Sr (photo, obituary grave photo) FindAGrave - Nicholas C. Laboda (grave) FindAGrave - Philip J Lynch (grave photo) FindAGrave - Robert C McGee (grave photo) FindAGrave - Joseph E. Hartman (grave photo) FindAGrave - Brydon Taves (grave photo) FindAGrave - Reporter Pendil Arthur Rayner (news) CWGC - Pendil Arthur Rayner The Eight Ballers - Eyes of the Fifth Air Force (1999) by Stanaway and Rocker pages 39 (lower photo, right side), 40 (upper left photo RDF Tojo right side, Eight Ball left side), 67 (photos of tail after crash), 99 (photo port side), 174 (two photos right side), 175 (two photos right ride) Ken's Men Against The Empire Volume I (2016) pages 343 (photo starboard side) 54 War Correspondents K.I.A. WWII A Gripping Account of War Journalism 1940-1945 by Doral Chenoweth Chaper V - Australia's Accredited Dead via Wayback Machine April 24, 2018 Ken’s Men Against The Empire Volume I: Prewar to October 1943 The B-17 Era (2020) pages 340 (403rd BG, 41-2627) Thanks to Edward Rogers, John Stanaway and Robert Rocker 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 February 15, 2025
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