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| USAAF 5th AF 90th BG 400th BS Former Assignments 320th BS  90th BG 1943  90th BG November 1943  90th BG October 1943 |
Pilot 1st Lt Warren H. Smeltzer, O-380234 (survived) Co-Pilot 2nd Lt Russell A. McKinni, O-74244 (survived) Navigator 1st Lt Charles M. Hynes, O-734566 (survived) Bombardier 2nd Lt Lawrence J. Baldwin, O-738606 (survived) New Orleans, LA Engineer TSgt Rudolph Vetter, 39381460 (survived) Assist. Engineer SSgt George H. Hermerding Jr., 35456332 (survived) Radio TSgt Steve Velicoff, 33265647 (survived) Assist. Radio SSgt Richard J. Leyer, 32143175 (survived) NY Gunner SSgt Carl L. Nelson, 36032395 (survived) Gunner SSgt Jack G. Wu, 39168830 (survived) Vancouver, WA Crashed October 18, 1943 at 1:00pm MACR 1015 Aircraft History Built by Consolidated in San Diego. Constructors Number 825. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24D-15-CO Liberator serial number 41-24043. 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", 320th Bombardment Squadron (320th BS) "Moby Dick". Nicknamed "Sky Lady" in capital letters with a black shadow and the nose art of a nude woman with long hair with her left arm extended and right arm holding a wand with a star tip wearing high heel shoes and garters seated on a cushion. Later transferred to the 400th Bombardment Squadron (400th BS) "Black Pirates". Possibly, this B-24 flew the January 5, 1943 bombing mission against Japanese shipping off Rabaul. When lost, engines R-1830-43 serial numbers 42-36526 42-39780 42-38549 and 42-36486. Armed with .50 caliber machine guns makers and serial numbers unknown. Mission History On October 18, 1943 around 6:30am took off from 5 Mile Drome (Ward) near Port Moresby piloted by 1st Lt Warren H. Smeltzer on bombing mission against Rabaul as part of a formation of B-24s from the 90th Bomb Group (90th BG), 43rd Bomb Group (43rd BG) and 380th Bomb Group (380th BG). The formation flew northeast toward Kiriwina Island then northward to Rabaul then encountered bad weather and aborted the mission and instead bombed Sio then flew southward to Lae before crossing the Owen Stanley Range at an altitude of 8,000'. In bad weather, formation broke up. When last seen, this B-24 was flying in the No. 2 position of the formation, on the left wing of B-24 piloted by Lt. Young and was seen falling behind the formation near Mount Yule at approximately 1:00pm. When this bomber failed to return, it was listed as Missing In Action (MIA). In total, four B-24s were lost returning from the mission, this bomber, B-24D "Ben Buzzard" 42-40670, B-24D 42-40885 and B-24D 41-41088. Aboard this B-24, the no. 2 engine was feathered and the instruments were not reading normal, with manifold pressure of 45" and fuel pressure of 20 and oil pressure high. Without instruments, the bomber entered a vertical dive before breaking out of clouds. Pilots Smeltzer and co-pilot McKinni ordered the crew to bail out while they attempted to keep the bomber level as it buckled and the tail fluttered. After circling the crew in parachutes once, the two pilots trimmed the B-24 and bailed out. According to Smeltzer, the pilots bailing out the B-24 crashed roughly a half mile away. According to co-pilot McKinni, the B-24 crashed eight miles northeast of Mount Yule and burned on impact at roughly Lat 8° 5' S and Long 147° 55' E. Search On October 19, 1943 a search mission was conducted by B-24 piloted by Major Thornhill (C.O. 400th Bombardment Squadron) and 1st Lt. Young who searched a 20 mile radius around where the missing bomber was last reported and from Port Moresby to Yule Island and Kerema and eastward to Salamaua and south before returning to Port Moresby. Their search was hindered by heavy clouds and returned with nil results after five hours. Fates of the Crew The crew landed safely without injury. Only Hermerding was injured when his parachute landed in a tree and fell to the ground. Soon afterwards, they were discovered by friendly locals who brought them to their village. After giving them cigarettes and trinkets, they were given food and shelter. On October 19, 1943 three of the crew were escorted by locals and walked to the Catholic Mission at Kerau where they were aided by an American missionary and nuns including Father A. Wendling. To attract the attention of rescue planes flying in the vicinity, the crew used their parachutes to create the "skull and cross bombs" insignia of the 90th Bombardment Group on the ground with two locals seated to form the eyes. Spotted by friendly planes, supplies were dropped to them, and communication was made by signaling with symbols on the ground. The crew asked for items by spelling "coffee cigs" and "T" for yes and "XXX" for negative. The rescue efforts was directed by Captain Phillip W. Casper of the 90th Bomb Group (90th BG). Meanwhile, the rest of the crew made their way to the Catholic mission at Kerau where they rested for a week to prepare for a two day trek to the nearest emergency landing ground. Rescue On November 11, 1943 they were rescued by an Australian DH.82 Tiger Moth that shuttled them roughly 30 miles to a larger airfield. While hand-propping to start the engine, Wu broke his wrist and had his hand placed into a sling. Next, they were flown aboard C-47 "Flamingo" 41-18584 back to Port Moresby and returned to duty. Relatives Sherl Hermerding Engel (daughter of George Herman Hermerding) "My father, George Herman Hermerding Jr., did not land successfully. His parachute caught in a tree where he hung for three days before cutting himself loose and dropping a distance of between 100-150 feet to the ground. That drop broke his back. There were indeed friendly natives, one of whom was eventually nicknamed 'Little George' due to the special interest he took in my father's care, who then found my father. It is important that they were blessed enough to be discovered by these natives as opposed to another tribe on the island who were cannibalistic. They attempted to carry him by tying his arms and legs together and hanging him from some type of wooden apparatus (a board or branch of some kind). The pain was more than he wen as able to endure so he requested that he be released and successfully dragged himself twelve miles to the mission. Father received 3/4 disability ruling and a Silver Star (later stolen). He also experienced what we now term PTSD which caused him to scream all night, every night, thrash about (breaking multiple bedside lamps throughout the years), and sit bolt upright in bed and recite the 23rd Psalm." Memorials Baldwin died on April 16, 2012 at age 91. He is buried at Saint Joseph Abbey Cemetery in Covington, LA. Vetter died July 13, 1999 at age 82. He is buried at Greenlawn Memorial Gardens in Fuquay-Varina, NC. Velicoff died December 18, 1989. He is buried at Mount Carmel Cemetery in Verona, PA. Leyer died on June 14, 1974 at age 64. He is buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Rochester, NY at plot south 32, lot 5, grave 19L. Wu died January 2, 1970 at age 49. He is buried at Eternal Hills Memorial Gardens in Klamath Falls, OR in the garden of prayer. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Charles M. Hynes NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Lawrence J. Baldwin NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - George H. Hermerding Jr. NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Steve Velicoff NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Richard J. Leyer NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Carl L. Nelson NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Jack G. Wu USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24D-15-CO Liberator 41-24043 "24043 (90th BG, 400th BS, "Sky Lady") encountered bad weather during raid on Rabaul and turned back and crew bailed out near Kerau Oct 18, 1943. MACR 1015. Crew later rescued and returned to duty. Story was the subject of an article in Life magazine." Missing Air Crew Report 1015 (MACR 1015) created October 19, 1943 The Black Pirates South West Pacific 1942-1944 page 21 LIFE Magazine January 3, 1944 "New Guinea Rescue" pages 48-49 PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - B-24D Liberator 41-24043 FindAGrave - Russell Allen McKinnis (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - Charles Michael Hynes (grave photo) FindAGrave - Lawrence Jacob “Chink” Baldwin Jr. (grave photos) FindAGrave - Rudolph Edwin Vetter (grave photos) FindAGrave - Steve Velicoff FindAGrave - Richard J. Leyer (grave photo) FindAGrave - Carl L. Nelson (grave photos) FindAGrave - Jack Gay Wu (grave photo) The Jolly Rogers (1981) incorrectly lists B-24D "Mission Belle" 42-40389 as lost October 18, 1943 piloted by Smeltzer, in fact he was piloting this bomber Legacy of the 90th Bombardment Group (1994) pages 84-85 (October 18, 1943) Ken’s Men Against The Empire The Illustrated History of the 43rd Bombardment Group During World War II Volume I: Prewar to October 1943 The B-17 Era (2020) pages 305-314 (October 18, 1943) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated November 12, 2025
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