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| USAAF 13th AF 11th BG 42nd BS  USAAF prewar  USAAF 1941 |
Pilot Major Earl O. Hall, Jr., O-325099, C. O. of the 42nd BS (MIA / KIA) Crawford, TX Co-Pilot 1st Lt Joaquin Castro, O-428914 (MIA / KIA) Mission, TX Navigator 2nd Lt Frank N. Stern, Jr., O-438256 (MIA / KIA) Chicago, IL Engineer TSgt Paul Adler, 6147915 (MIA / KIA) Cambridge, MA Bombardier SSgt James Y. Bales, 15058894 (MIA / KIA) Crawfordville, IN Radio SSgt James C. Stephens, Jr., 6953552 (MIA / KIA) Pania, CO Asst. Engineer SSgt Francis S. Banasiak, 11020224 (MIA / KIA) Holyoke, MA Asst Radio Sgt Jesse N. Olmstead, 11033041 (MIA / KIA) Norwalk, CT Gunner Sgt Martin T. Grady, 6980875 (MIA / KIA) New York, NY MIA February 1, 1943 MACR 15093 Aircraft History Built by Boeing at Seattle. Constructors Number 2623. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-17E Flying Fortress serial number 41-9151. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to the South Pacific (SoPAC). Wartime History Assigned to the 13th Air Force (13th AF), 11th Bombardment Group (11th BG), 42nd Bombardment Squadron (42nd BS). No known nose art or nickname. When lost, engine and weapon serial numbers unknown. Mission History On February 1, 1943 took off from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal piloted by Major Earl O. Hall, Jr. (C. O. of the 42nd BS) leading the formation of nine B-17s to bomb mission against Japanese shipping in the Shortland area. This bomber was leading the second element of four B-17s including this bomber, B-17E "Eager Beavers" 41-9122, B-17E "Yokohama Express" 41-2442 and B-17 piloted by Captain Thomas (5th BG, 72nd BS). Over the target area, this B-17 targeted a transport near Tonolei Harbor off southern Bougainville. After claiming hits on the ship, they turned right toward Choiseul Bay and were jumped by 15 to 25 A6M Zeros and shot down by gunfire. When this bomber failed to return, it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). The sole surviving fourth bomber, B-17 piloted by a Captain Thomas was also badly damaged but managed to crash land at Guadalcanal. Two crew members (radio and bombardier) were wounded. Memorials Thew entire crew was officially declared on January 11, 1946. All are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Hall earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Silver Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously. Castro earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery in Mission, TX at section MS1 row D site 29. Stern earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Alder earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Bales earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously. Stephens earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster. Banasiak earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Agawam, MA, section M1, row B, site 11. Olmstead earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously. Grady earned the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously. Relatives Hal W. Hall (relative of Hall) "Families of the crew of B-17 9151 have uncovered a letter in which an witness to the action reported that this aircraft may have crashed on or very near Choiseul Island. All previous records and reports did not indicate a possibility of an island crash. I have unsuccessfully sought the Coastwatcher's report on this action. I have seen it mentioned, but have been unable to find any reference to where those reports might be housed. Do you have any information about where the reports might be archived?" References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Earl O. Hall NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Joaquin Castro NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Frank N. Stern, Jr. NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - James Y. Bales NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Francis S. Banasiak NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Jesse N. Olmstead USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-17E Flying Fortress 41-9151 "9151 shot down by Japanese fighters during mission to Shortland Harbor Feb 1, 1943." Missing Air Crew Report 15093 (MACR 15093) was created retroactively and incorrectly list target as Munda American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Earl O. Hall American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Joaquin Castro American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Frank N. Stern Jr. American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Paul Adler American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - James Y. Bales American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - James C. Stephens, Jr. American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Francis S. Banasiak American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Jesse N. Olmstead American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Martin T. Grady FindAGrave - Maj Earl O Hall (photo) FindAGrave - Francis S. Banasiak (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - 1Lt Joaquin Castro (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Joaquin Castro (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - 2Lt Frank N Stern, Jr (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - TSgt Paul Fredrick Adler (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - SSgt James Y Bales (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - SSgt James C Stephens, Jr (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - SSgt Francis S Banasiak (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Francis S. Banasiak (memorial marker) FindAGrave - Sgt Jesse Nathaniel Olmstead (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Sgt Martin T Grady (tablets of the missing) Texas A&M Libraries - Earl Oxford Hall: A Brief Biography and Wartime History Texas A&M Libraries - "Lost in the Pacific" Biography of TSgt. Paul Fredrick Adler MIA 1943 Texas A&M Libraries - "Living on and Under the Wing" A Biography of 1st Lt. Joaquin Castro by Arnoldo Guerrero Jr. pages 109, 117-123 [PDF] Thanks to Hal W. Hall 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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