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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 at 5:15am took off from 5 Mile Drome (Wards) near Port Moresby piloted by 1st Lt Donald D. Almond on a solo daylight reconnaissance mission along the eastern coast of New Guinea. During the flight, the bomber transmitted five messages. At 7:00am this bomber radioed their position to be "08° 18' S / 147° 42'E". At 7:47am radioed "740-Lae weather clear clouds 4 tenths at 900 nil sightings". At 8:00 radioed their postion as "08° 30'S / 174° 48' E". At 9:10am radioed "attacked by 5 Zekes" [sic Oscars]. At 9:21am was the final message "SOS going down". Although no postion was given with the last message, it was estimated the B-24 went down off Madang possibly in the vicinity of Karkar Island, one hour and thirty-five minues airborne. When this B-24 failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). In fact, five Ki-43 Oscars from 24th Hiko Sentai intercepted this bomber. During the engagement, Ki-43 Oscar Sgt. Hikoto deliberately rammed the B-24 and was killed, he was the first casualty of the 24th Sentai in New Guinea. Five to ten minutes later the last message sent stated the aircraft was going down. Search After the last radio message, a nearby P-38 was sent to the area but found nothing. At 11:30am three B-24s piloted by Lt. Portter, Martin and Menge searched a wider area without result. On May 20, 1943 flying in bad weather, B-24D "Mission Belle" 42-40389 and B-24 piloted by Porter searched the Madang area to search and were intercepted by nine Zeros [sic Oscars] and had to fight their way back claimed three shot down with both bombers damaged. 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) Legacy of the 90th Bombardment Group (1994) page 57 (May 19, 1943) "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 October 30, 2025
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 B-24  MIA 10 Missing |
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