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| USAAF 5th AF 90th BG 321st BS  90th BG 1943  Aerothentic 2000 Justin Taylan 2006 |
Pilot 1st Lt. Norman R. Crosson (rescued December 15, 1942) Cincinnati, OH Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. John D. Dyer (died February 9, 1943, BR) Boston, MA Crew Sgt Loy L. Wilson (rescued December 15, 1942) Madison, OH Crew Sgt Edward J. McKeon, 12039063 (died December 3, 1942, BR) Queens, NY Crew SSgt James B. Hilton (died December 3, 1942, BR) Houston, TX Crew Cpl John Geydos Jr., 35301887 (died December 3, 1942, BR) Cleveland, OH Crew SSgt Charles B. Workman, 35401125 (died December 3, 1942, BR) OH Crew 2nd Lt. Arthur N. Speltz (died February 24, 1943, BR) Albert Lea, MN Crew 2nd Lt. Daleford V. Grimes (died approx December 25, 1942, BR) Cedar, IA Ball Turret TSgt Grady S. Gaston (rescued March 23, 1943) Frisco City, AL Crashed December 3, 1942 MACR none Aircraft History Built by Consolidated at San Diego. Constructors Number 557. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24D-5-CO Liberator serial number 41-23762. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 90th Bombardment Group (90th BG) "Jolly Rogers", 321st Bombardment Squadron (321st BS) "Bombs Away". Assigned to pilot Lt. Norman R. Crosson. Nicknamed "Little Eva" by Crosson. Mission History On December 3, 1942 took off from Iron Range Airfield (Lockhart River Airport) pilot 1st Lt. Norman R. Crosson as one of four B-24s on a high altitude bombing mission against a Japanese convoy spotted north of Buna. During the mission, this bomber became separated from the formation and aborted the mission. Returning, this B-24 became lost over the Gulf of Carpentaria and ran low on fuel. Pilot Crosson ordered the crew to all bail out and assemble at the crash site. The B-24 flew onward without any pilot before impacting onto its belly near Moonlight Creek. Although all of the crew were ordered to bail out, it is believed McKeon, Hilton and Geydos were working to free Workman's parachute which became caught in the door frame and all died when the bomber impacted the ground. Fates of the Crew The rest of the crew successfully parachuted to the ground, but landed in a very remote and desolate area of the Australian outback. Only Crosson and Wilson managed to reach the bomber as planned and walked eastward for twelve days until spotted by a rancher and Aboriginal walking across Escott Station, roughly 15km west of Burketown on December 15, 1942. During their ordeal, Crosson's weight dropped from 205 lbs to 155 lbs while wandering the outback. Both were hospitalized and later returned to duty. Grimes, Dyer, Speltz and Gaston landed near each other and headed to the west, attempting to walk across the outback to safety. Grimes reached Robinson River around December 25, 1942 but was swept into the ocean and drown. His body was found on the beach a few days later. Speltz died of exposure on February 24, 1943. Gaston reached a paper bark hut on Seven Emu Station on March 23, 1943. He had gray hair and only weighed about 80 pounds from his ordeal in the outback. He returned to the United States and worked for the US Postal Service then retired in Alabama until he died in 1998. Wreckage During 1974, Syd Beck recovered a number of pieces of wreckage including the ball turret, an engine with propeller and main landing gear leg. All of these items are now on display at The Beck Museum. Recovery of Remains Afterwards, the remains of those who died in the crash and from exposure were recovered. Postwar, they were transported to Hawaii and the United States for permanent burial. Memorials Four of the crew: McKeon, Hilton, Geydos and Workman died the day of the crash on December 3, 1942. McKeon is buried at Long Island National Cemetery at section H site 8838. Hilton is buried at Earthman Resthaven Cemetery in Houston, TX in section 7. Geydos is buried at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) at section C site 1401. Workman is buried at Lucasville Cemetery in Lucasville, OH. Two of the crew died afterwards: Dyer died February 9, 1943. He has an unknown burial, likely in his hometown. Speltz died February 24, 1943. His remains were recovered and buried at Saint Theodores Cemetery in Albert Lea, MN. The three survivors died postwar: Gaston died January 8, 1998 at age 77. He is buried in Baas Memorial Cemetery , Frisco City, AL. Crosson died May 23, 1989 at age 73. He is buried at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Greenville, SC in the Garden of Memories section. Wilson died July 13, 1991 at age 72. He is buried at Riverside Cemetery in Mifflin Township, OH. A memorial plaque was dedicated to the crew at Moonlight Creek. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Norman R. Crosson NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Edward J Mc Keon surname as two words NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - John Geydos Jr. Note, another 320th Bombardment Squadron bomber had the same nickname B-24D "Little Eva" 41-23772. Some sources list the name of one crew member as Gurdas [sic Geydos] USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24D-5-CO Liberator 41-23762 "23762 (90th BG, 321nd BS, "Little Eva") crashed near Burketown, QLD on night of Dec 2/3, 1942 when ran out of fuel in bad weather. 6 crew members bailed out safely, but 4 were killed in the crash." Legacy of the 90th Bombardment Group (1994) pages 24-26 The Searchers (1999) profiles this aircraft Fight For Survival! (2003) by James A. McMurria pages 18-20 McMurria conversation with Crosson after his rescue Savage Wilderness (2004) profiles this bomber and crew The Crash of Little Eva (2004) profiles this bomber and crew Flightpath Vol 12 No 3 pages 66-71 Oz@War "2 December 1942 - Crash of a B-24 Liberator near Moonlight Creek" Savannah Aviation - Liberator Wreck at Moonlight Creek FindAGrave - LTC Norman Robert Crosson (photos, grave photo) FindAGrave - 2nd Lieutenant John D Dyer (grave photo) date of death Dec 10 [sic 9] FindAGrave - Loy Lester Wilson Sr. (grave photos) Nationwide Gravesite Locator - Mc Keon, Edward J. surname listed as Mc Keon date of death Dec 3 [sic 3] FindAGrave - SGT Edward J McKeon (grave photo) date of death listed as Dec 2 [sic 3] FindAGrave - SSGT James Blanchard “Jimmy” Hilton (photo, grave photo) date of death listed as Dec 2 [sic 3] FindAGrave - Cpl John Geydos Jr. (photo, grave photo) date of death listed as Dec 2 [sic 3] FindAGrave - SSGT Charles Bryan Workman (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - Lieutenant Arthur N. “Tony” Speltz (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - 2LT Daleford Vayne Grimes (photo, gave photos) FindAGrave - Grady S. Gaston (grave photo, photos) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated
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