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| USAAF 10th Ferrying Squadron Former Assignments ATC  ATC 1941 |
Pilot Captain Alvin J. H. Mueller, Jr., 19th BG (survived) Co-Pilot 1st Lt. Paul E. Cool, 19th BG (survived) Navigator 2nd Lt. Laurence E. Gardner, 19th BG (WIA, survived) Engineer MSgt Wells E. Brown, 06540512 10th Ferrying Squadron (survived) Radio SSgt Myrvan R. Morley, 19th BG (survived) Ditched May 4, 1942 Aircraft History Built by Consolidated Aircraft Corporation at San Diego. Constructors Number 8. Ordered by the Royal Air Force (RAF) as Liberator II serial number AL??? (three digits unknown). Instead, requisitioned by the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24A Liberator serial number 40-2376. Tail number 76 (last two digits of serial number). This bomber was painted with olive drab upper surfaces and gray lower surfaces. During 1941, assigned to Air Transport Command (ATC) and painted in in neutrality markings with a large U.S. flag on each side of the nose and top of the fuselage. The rear fuselage had the circular ATC logo. This B-24 flew VIPs and cargo across the North Atlantic and Caribbean. Nicknamed "Old '76" for the tail number and last two digits of the serial number. Also known as "Red Cap" or "Gravy Train". Next, flown via the "Africa Route" via North Africa, Middle Eas and India to Java then evacuated to Australia. Wartime History In early 1942, assigned to the 10th Ferrying Squadron and operated in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). Nicknamed "Old Bag of Bolts". In early May 1942, this bomber was selected for a flight from Darwin Airfield northward to Mindanao to rescue personnel. Volunteers were requested from the 19th Bomb Group (19th BG) and Captain Alvin J. H. Mueller and his crew were selected for the dangerous mission. Previously, on April 29, 1942, Mueller had flown a B-17 from Darwin to Del Monte Airfield to rescue thirty U.S. Army personnel and returned safely. On the flight route, he spotted Yu Island near the equator with a lagoon that would be an ideal location to ditch in an emergency and suggested it as an alternative. On May 3, 1942 in the morning flown by pilot Captain Mueller to Batchelor Field near Darwin and readied for the mission and was loaded with 6,000 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition, cases of 81mm mortars and six bags of mail. Mission History On May 4, 1942 took off from Batchelor Field piloted by Captain Alvin J. H. Mueller on a flight northward bound for Mindanao. At 9:00pm the bomber arrived over Mindanao the weather deteriorated. The bomber was to check all three U.S. airfield locations including Del Monte Airfield, Valencia Airfield and Maramag Airfield. Due to the bad weather, the B-24 flew to the north coast of Mindanao to confirm their position then turned back to to the south to check the airfields and calling on the radio without any response. Unable to make contact, the bomber began the the return flight southward. As the weather cleared, the B-24 overflew Japanese occupied Davao and the tail was hit by anti-aircraft fire and sustained superficial damage. Returning low on fuel, the B-24 broke radio silence to send the message "Proceeding to our alternate". Almost out of fuel, the bomber reached Yu Island (Yoi, Joe) buzzed the the lagoon, pulled up, lowered the flaps and ditched. While landing, a hole was torn in the nose forward of the co-pilot position and the bomber filled with seawater and sank into the lagoon with the top of the fuselage above the surface. Fates of the Crew None of the crew were hurt in the ditching aside from Gardner who cut his hand on metal. Cool swam out the hole in the fuselage to escape and opened the hatch on the top of the fuselage allowing the rest of the crew to exit and remained atop the fuselage overnight. On May 5, 1942 at dawn, friendly locals in canoes paddled out and brought food and attempted to treat Gardner's hand and helped them ashore. Afterwards, they lived on Yu Island with the local inhabitants. They took a flare gun from the bomber that they would later use to signal their rescue. Rescue Meanwhile, in Darwin their last radio message was received and relayed. A PBY Catalina was requested to rescue the crew but the mission was deemed too dangerous. Instead, a radio message was sent to USS Porpoise (SS-172) patrolling in the area. On May 11, 1942 at night, USS Porpoise (SS-172) surfaced but was unable to spot the crew or bomber. The submarine was about to depart when the crew ashore fired a signal flare. The sea was rough and the submarine was unable to reach them or sent a raft ashore. Instead, the crew gave their remaining money and possessions to the locals to take them by canoe out to the submarine. Aboard Porpoise, conditions were uncomfortable because the air conditioning was damaged by a depth charge attack and no longer functional. Her doctor wanted to amputate Gardner's hand immediately but he resisted and wanted for a second opinion in Australia. Six days later, Porpoise returned to Darwin and Gardner was sent to the U.S. Army General Hospital in Melbourne and was saved with skin grafts but took months to heal. Wreckage This bomber remains in situ at a depth of 10' in the lagoon off Yu Island (Yoi, Joe). During late June 1947, a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Catalina spotted the wreckage of two crashed planes on Yu Island (Yoi, Joe) that were reported investigated. On June 26, 1947 a Catalina from 113 Air Sea Rescue (113 ASR) from Ambon searched Misool Island, Nampole Islands and the Radj Ampat Islands without results then overflew Yu Island (Yoi, Joe) and spotted two downed planes and landed off Omnial (Umiyal) on the southern coast. The crew including F/Lt Belcher inspected the wreckage of this bomber and observed the tail number "76" and found supplies and letters aboard stamped "5th Air Base Group, Plum (Philippines) and were told by locals that the crew had been rescued and later reported their findings to American Graves Registration Service (AGRS). The second plane was a Japanese fighter shot down July 20, 1944. Afterwards, the Catalina took off and flew to Ambon. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Wells E. Brown USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24A Liberator 40-2376 "2376 was turned over to ATC in 1941, months before Pearl Harbor, then flew the North Atlantic routes, the Caribbean, North Africa, the Mid East and CBI. Her final missions were in the Southwest Pacific, flying evacuation from the Philippines and the Dutch East Indies. The plane was variously known as Old '76 (presumably early in her career, for the number), Red Cap or Gravy Train (for carrying a number of VIPs at various times), or Old Bag of Bolts. Ditched in lagoon of Ju Island in East Indies after running out of fuel attempting to return to Darwin May 5, 1942." NAA "Report of Investigations of Aircraft on Joe Is." F/Lt Belcher, Ambon June 28, 1947 Kensmen 43rd BG "Penetrating the Philippine Blockade" by Arthur A. "Bud" Fletcher The excellent account in our last newsletter of the role of HQ and HQ SQ of the 5th Air Base Gp and its detachments and their heroic effort to support the 19th and 7th Bomb Groups' air activities in the Philippine Islands filled a longstanding gap in our history for which we are genuinely indebted to Walter Regehr... [Footnote] 1 Sam McGowan left a note in this site's guestbook which reads, "In the article Penetrating the Philippines Capt. Alvin Mueller is incorrectly identified as having been a member of the 7th Bomb Group. He was actually with the 19th BG in the PI and was awarded the DSC for a mission in December, 1941. I make note of this here for the cause of history." Under The Southern Cross (1998) by Bob Livingstone mentions this loss Air & Space Magazine "The loss of ‘Old Bag of Bolts’" November 10, 2016 Thanks to Bob Livingstone and Edward Rogers 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 November 18, 2023 |
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