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| USAAF 5th AF 90th BG 400th BS |
Pilot 1st Lt Donald D. Almond, O-433338 (MIA / KIA) Turner County, SD Co-Pilot 2nd Lt John J. Cahill, O-728339 (MIA / KIA) Lake County, OR Crew 2nd Lt Robert L. McClure, O-726920 (MIA / KIA) Sebring, OH Crew 2nd Lt Kenneth A. Olson, O-727254 (MIA / KIA) Beltrami County, MN Crew TSgt Forrest D. Wright, 36317419 (MIA / KIA) Champaign County, IL Crew TSgt Ivan O. Sand, 37161484 (MIA / KIA) Hennepin County, MN Crew SSgt Marvin C. Parsons, 33156629 (MIA / KIA) Washington DC Crew SSgt Oliver R. Neese, 35351932 (MIA / KIA) Lebanon, IN Crew SSgt Maurice Derfler, 33157713 (MIA / KIA) Leipzig, Germany Crew Cpl Joseph L. Wagner, 18058200 (MIA / KIA) Cameron County, TX MIA May 19, 1943 MACR none Aircraft History Built by Consolidated at San Diego. Constructors Number 1069. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24D-25-CO Liberator serial number 41-24269. 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", 400th Bombardment Squadron (400th BS) "Black Pirates". No known nose art or nickname. Mission History On May 19, 1943 took off from 5 Mile Drome (Wards) near Port Moresby piloted by 1st Lt Donald D. Almond on a daylight reconnaissance mission along the eastern coast of New Guinea. No position report was given, but the time element places the aircraft in the Madang area, one hour and thirty five minutes after take off. Ramming by Japanese Fighter A radio message was received stating it was under attack by five enemy fighters. Five Ki-43 Oscars of the 24th Sentai attacked the bomber. One Japanese fighter rammed the B-24, killing the Oscar pilot, Sgt. Hikoto Sato, who became the first casualty of the 24th Sentai. Five to ten minutes later the last message sent stated the aircraft was going down. It is believed the aircraft went down in the vicinity of Karkar Island. No trace of the crew was ever found. Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead on December 19, 1945. All are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Almond earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Black Hills National Cemetery at section MB, site 90. Cahill earned the Air Medal with oak leaf cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously. McClure earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Grandview Cemetery in Sebring, OH in Sebring Section. Olson earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Wright earned the Silver Star, Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Woodlawn Cemetery in Urbana, IL. Sand earned the Silver Star, Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Parsons earned the Air Medal with oak leaf cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously. Neese earned the Silver Star, Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Derfler earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Wagner earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24D-25-CO Liberator 41-24269 PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - B-24D Liberator 41-24269 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Donald D. Almond American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John J. Cahill American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Robert L. McClure American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Kenneth A. Olson American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Forrest D. Wright American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Ivan O. Sand American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Marvin C. Parsons American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Oliver R. Neese American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Maurice Derfler American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Joseph L. Wagner FindAGrave - 1Lt Donald Dale Almond (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Lieut Donald Dale Almond (photos, memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - 1Lt John James Cahill (photo, tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - 1Lt Robert Lynn McClure (photo, tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Robert Lynn McClure (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - 1Lt Kenneth Arlen Olson (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - TSgt Forrest D Wright (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Forrest D. Wright (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - TSgt Ivan Oscar Sand (photo, tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - SSgt Marvin Cornelius Parsons (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - SSgt Oliver R Neese (photo, tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - SSgt Maurice Derfler (photo, tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Cpl Joseph L Wagner (tablets of the missing photo) "A Brief History of Wewak, Part II" by Richard Dunn Thanks to Richard Dunn 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
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