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| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
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| USAAF 11th AF 43rd BG 64th BS   43rd BG c1944 |
Pilot 1st Lt. Edward C. Pedersen, O-747313 (MIA / KIA) Kearny, NJ Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. James R. Barber, O-690034 (MIA / KIA) Hawkins, TX Navigator 2nd Lt. William Bischoff, O-695863 (POW, executed August 6, 1944) Cincinnati, OH Bombardier 2nd Lt. Randolph H. Gibson, O-682104 (MIA / KIA) Sherman, TX Engineer Cpl Bernard J. Pena, 18225911 (MIA / KIA) Nacogdoches, TX Radio TSgt Henry A. Kutz, 31164888 (MIA / KIA) Medford, MA Asst Engineer SSgt Rudolph R. Preciado, 39259673 (MIA / KIA) San Pedro, CA Asst Radio Sgt Edward A. Sabat, 13127735 (MIA / KIA) Wilkes-Barre, PA Gunner Sgt Bernard R. Fraser, 39558702 (MIA / KIA) Saint Louis, MS Gunner SSgt Edmund J. Fay, 31244774 (MIA / KIA) Cranston, RI Photographer SSgt Richard D. English, 13016610 (MIA / KIA) Boonton, NJ Crashed August 5, 1944 at 11:40am MACR 14288 Aircraft History Built by Consolidated at San Diego. Constructors Number 3802. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24J-125-CO Liberator serial number 42-110006. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 43rd Bombardment Group (43rd BG), 64th Bombardment Squadron (64th BS). Nicknamed "Blondes Away" with the nose art of a cartoon wolf wearing a suit holding a bouquet of flowers and a cane on the street corner of Vine and Hollywood outside the "It Cafe" in Los Angeles. When lost, equipped with engines no. 1, no. 2 and no.3 R-1830-65 serial numbers BP-433144, BP-433184 and BP-432899. No.4 engine R-1830-43 serial number 41-43458. Aboard were .50 caliber machine guns serial numbers: Savage Arms 954897, 955002, 382411, 932543, 935024 and 898756. Mission History On August 5, 1944 took off from Mokmer Airfield (APO 920) on Biak piloted by 1st Lt. Edward C. Pedersen for a bombing mission against Boela on Ceram (Seram). The weather over the target was 6/10 strata cumulus at 8,000' with 4/10 to 6/10 low cumulus at 4,000'. This B-24 was flying the right wing of the first element. Over the target at 11:40am flying at at 10,000', during the bomb run, this bomber suffered an explosion of an undetermined origin in the bomb bay. Immediately, the no. 1 and no. 3 engines caught fire and were feathered and a few seconds later the entire bomber was engulfed in flames then exploded into five pieces: nose section, left wing, right wing, tail section and command deck. All the wreckage landed in Boela Bay roughly 2,000' to 1,000' north of the jetties. One crew member was observed to have bailed out of the camera hatch and landed at the mouth of little Lola River (Bobe River). When this B-24 failed to return, it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Fates of the Crew Bischoff successfully bailed out and was captured by the Japanese and became a Prisoner Of War (POW). That night, he was executed and his body abandoned. Recovery of Remains On August 6, 1944 a native named Andrienus Pattiseland found the body of a white man with two bullet wounds with a dog tag around his neck that read "William Bischoff" and buried the body on the beach. Bischoff remains listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Postwar, while Australian authorities were investigating crash sites in the area, they located Andrienus Pattiseland who buried Bischoff's body. Another native reported seeing a white man captured and held for a day. When the burial site on the river was investigated, Bischoff's body was not found and was deemed to have been washed out to sea. Memorials The entire crew (with the exception of Bischoff) were officially declared dead the day of the mission on August 5, 1944. Bischoff was officially declared dead August 6, 1944. All are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Pena also has a memorial marker at Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Nacogdoches, TX at plot F4. Last Updated
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 B-24  MIA 11 Missing 1 Prisoner Executed |
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