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| USAAF 5th AF 43rd BG 64th BS Former Assignments 19th BG 30th BS   5th CCU January 5, 1943  Jose Holguin c1943 |
Pilot 1st Lt James A. Pickard, O-428846 (KIA, BR) Walla Walla, WA Co-Pilot Captain Jack A. Ryan, O-428929 (KIA, BR) IL Navigator Captain Richard E. Zahm, O-433997 (KIA, BR) Bombardier 2nd Lt Francis L. Damron, O-670028 (KIA, BR) TX Engineer Sgt John J. Meehan, 6949374 (KIA, BR) Assistant Radio Pfc Claude R. Sparks, 7083389 (KIA, BR) McDowell County, NC Gunner S/Sgt Merrill E. Green, 17038337 (KIA, BR) Lincoln, NB Gunner Cpl Dale S. Mitchell, 17038367 (KIA, BR) NB Radio TSgt Carl P. Averill, 06149242 (survived) Kingman, ME Observer MSgt Donald E. Tice, 15th Weather Squadron (KIA, BR) WA Crashed June 14, 1943 MACR none Aircraft History Built by Boeing at Seattle. Constructors Number 2475. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-17E Flying Fortress serial number 41-2664. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. Wartime History On May 11, 1942 assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 19th Bombardment Group (19th BG), 30th Bombardment Squadron (30th BS). On October 26, 1942 assigned to the 43rd Bombardment Group (43rd BG), 64rd Bombardment Squadron (64rd BS). Assigned to pilot 1st Lt James A. Pickard. Nicknamed "The Jersey Skeeter" with the nose art of a Japanese solider being bitten on the rear by a large mosquito. A scoreboard of bomb markings indicating missions flown was painted on the left side of the cockpit with silhouettes indicating ships and fighters claimed as shot down. On December 26, 1942 took off from took off from 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby piloted by Curren on a bombing mission against Rabaul. On January 5, 1943 took off from 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby piloted by Captain Salisbury armed with 500 pound bombs as one of six B-17s on a bombing mission against Rabaul. The formation also included six B-24 Liberators from the 90th Bombardment Group. 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 and an MLC was sunk. Bomb fragments did cause fires aboard other ships and inflicted 20 casualties. Lost was B-17F "San Antonio Rose" 41-24458 (MIA, two POW). On January 6, 1943 took off from 7 Mile Drome piloted by Lt. Olson with B-17E 41-9209 piloted by Compton on a search mission to locate the two B-17s Missing In Action (MIA) from the previous day's bombing mission. This B-17 searched along the coast of New Britain flying over Gasmata and the Dampier Strait. The searching B-17s failed to find any trace of either missing bomber or their crews. On January 7, 1943 took off from 7 Mile Drome piloted by Curren on a bombing mission against Lae. On January 8, 1943 took off from 7 Mile Drome piloted by Compton on a bombing mission against Rabaul. On January 24, 1943 took off from 7 Mile Drome piloted by Schauweker on a bombing mission against Rabaul. On February 1, 1943 took off from 7 Mile Drome piloted by Schauweker on a bombing mission against Rabaul. On March 2, 1943 during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea took off from 7 Mile Drome on a bombing mission against the Japanese convoy in the Bismarck Sea. On March 14, 1943 took off from 7 Mile Drome piloted by an unknown pilot on a bombing mission against Wewak. On March 25, 1943 took off from 7 Mile Drome piloted by an Salisbury on a bombing mission against New Britain. On April 3, 1943 took off from 7 Mile Drome piloted by an Humrichouse on a bombing mission against Japanese shipping off Kavieng. On April 10, 1943 took off from 7 Mile Drome piloted by an Humrichouse on a bombing mission against Wewak. On April 12, 1943 took off from 7 Mile Drome piloted by an Holsey on a bombing mission against Rabaul. On June 9, 1943 took off from 7 Mile Drome piloted by 2nd Lt. Roger G. Kettleson on a bombing mission against Lae. Mission History On June 14, 1943 in the predawn darkness took off from 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby piloted by 1st Lt James A. Pickard on a reconnaissance mission. Captain Jack A. Ryan, although the ranking officer aboard opted to fly as co-pilot. Also aboard was observer MSgt Donald E. Tice from 15th Weather Squadron. Shortly after take off, crashed roughly 1,000 yards beyond the end of the runway impacted into a hill causing fuel to catch fire and bomb load to explode. Eight of the crew were killed in the crash instantly. Mitchell was severely wounded and Averill suffered injuries. Afterwards, the cause of the crash was never determined. Fates of the Crew Mitchell was severely wounded in the crash and died on the way to hospital. Sole survivor Averill had no recollection of the crash and suffered a broken leg and arm plus several broken ribs, five teeth knocked out and burns on his left arm and left leg. Recovery of Remains After the crash, the remains of the eight deceased crew members were recovered and buried. Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead the day of the crash. Postwar, they were exhumed and transported to the United States for permanent burial. Pickard is buried at Mountain View Cemetery in Walla Walla, WA at plot WALLA-MA-2-12-14. Ryan is buried at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) at plot C, grave 275. Zahm is buried at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Huntington, IN at section C, lot 87E-07. Damron is buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery at section M, site 177. Meehan is buried at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) at plot A, grave 944. Sparks is buried at Oak Grove Cemetery in Marion, NC. Green is buried at Wyuka Cemetery in Lincoln, NB at section 32, lot 74 space 6. Mitchell is buried at Riverview Cemetery in McCook, NB at plot 6, 10, 2. Tice is buried at the Golden Gate National Cemetery at section D, site 520. Averill joined the U.S. Army in 1939 and served until Vietnam and earned three Purple Hearts and a Silver Star for his service and retired as a senior Master Sergeant in 1963.. He passed away on March 1, 2006 at age 88. He was buried at Rome Cemetery, Rome, NY. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-17E Flying Fortress 41-2664 "2664 (43rd BG, 64th BS) w/o in takeoff accident at Jackson Field, Port Moresby Jun 14, 1943 2665 ("Lulu) delivered to Minneapolis Mar 7, 1942; assigned to 19BG/93BS at Hickam, Hawaii; transferred to 63R Clark Field, Philippines late 1942." History 43rd Bomb Group James B Goetz diary: "B-17 2664 crashed on takeoff 14 June 1943." PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - B-17E Flying Fortress 41-2664 FindAGrave - James A. Pickard (obituary, grave photo) FindAGrave - CPT Jack A Ryan (photo, news, grave photo) FindAGrave - Capt Richard Eugene "Dick" Zahm (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - Francis L Damron (grave photo) FindAGrave - TSgt John J Meehan (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - Claude R Sparks (grave photo) FindAGrave - Sgt. Merrill E. Green (obituary, photo) FindAGrave - Corp Dale S Mitchell (grave photo) FindAGrave - Donald E Tice (grave photo) NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Carl P. Averill KensMen.com - DB - B-17E The Jersey Skeeter 41-2664 Fortress Against The Sun pages 388, 424 (footnote 23), 428 (footnote 62) Flightpath August-October 2012 "Rabaul October" by Steve Birdsall page 55 Ken's Men Against The Empire Volume I (2016) pages 84 (photo), 101-105, 108 (photo), 205 (photo), 216 (profile 6), 221 (profile 6 detail), 318, 326 (64th BS, 41-2664), 340 (photo), 343, 355, 404 (index) Thanks to Craig Kirwin and Larry Hickey 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 April 19, 2021
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