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| USAAF 5th AF 90th BG 320th BS  90th BG c1943 |
Pilot Captain Lawrence N. Smith, O-665728 (MIA / KIA) IA Co-Pilot 1st Lt. George M. Dempster, O-796668 (MIA / KIA) East Dunbartonshire, Scotland Navigator 1st Lt. Harry M. Stoll, O-670183 (MIA / KIA) PA Bombardier 1st Lt. Kenneth E. Twitty, O-733002 (MIA / KIA) MS Observer F/O Daryl M. Stewart, T-61035 (MIA / KIA) SD Engineer T/Sgt John H. Lenaghan, 36395195 (MIA / KIA) IL Radio T/Sgt Paul D. Waite, 17067519 (MIA / KIA) IL Gunner S/Sgt William C. Gotcher, 34194958 (MIA / KIA) TN Gunner S/Sgt Carl A. Canady, 18165266 (MIA / KIA) AR Gunner Sgt Sidney L. Baggett, 38187519 (MIA / KIA) LA Tail Gunner S/Sgt William H. Bundy, 16086379 (MIA / KIA) MI Photographer S/Sgt Mercy Rendon, Jr., 38026361 (MIA / KIA) TX Crashed December 1, 1943 at 1:10pm MACR 1316 Aircraft History Built by Consolidated at San Diego. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24D-105-CO Liberator serial number 42-40830. Ferried overseas via Hawaii to Australia. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force, 90th Bombardment Group, 320th Bombardment Squadron. Nicknamed "Pudgy". When lost, engines R-1830-43 serial numbers 42-4286612, 42-86627, 42-86739, 42-86831. Mission History On December 1, 1943 took off from 5 Mile Drome (Wards) near Port Moresby piloted by Captain Lawrence N. Smith on a bombing mission against the dukp area at Wewak Airfield.. Inbound, the bombers were escorted by P-47D Thunderbolts. The weather was clear with scattered clouds with good visibility. Approximately ten minutes after dropping their bombs, the formation was intercepted by a pair of enemy "Zeros" [sic Ki-43 Oscars] from 12 o'clock high over land. The first opened fire on this B-24 and damaged two engines, then dove below the formation. Another Ki-43 attacked from above and behind and hit the tail turret, causing the gunner to fall out without a parachute. One of the crew member bailed out from the waist camera hatch and was strafed by the enemy fighters while descending in his parachute. Over water, at least eight of the crew (possibly all remaining eleven) were seen to bail out in succession. A group of four parachutes were strafed by the same fighters. This B-24 was last seen heading towards land at about 1,000' losing altitude under control and was believed to crash ten miles west of Murik near Karau. When this B-24 failed to return it was listed as Missing In Action (MIA). A total of three B-24s were lost this mission. This aircraft plus B-24D "Ten Knights in a Bar Room" 42-72806 and B-24D "Pistol Packin' Mama" 42-41209. Memorials All crew members were declared dead as of January 22, 1946. All are memorialized on the tablets of the missing at the Manila American Cemetery. Smith has a memorial marker at Brooklyn Memorial Cemetery at Block VII lot 58 in Brooklyn Iowa. Twitty has a memorial marker at Sikeston City Cemetery in Sikeston, Missouri. Stewart has a memorial marker at Black Hills National Cemetery at section MA Site 29 in Sturgis, SD. Waite has a memorial marker at Erie Cemetery in Erie, IL. Gotcher has a memorial marker at Rose Hill Cemetery in Fayetteville, TN. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24D-105-CO Liberator 42-40830 "40830 (90th BG, 319/320th BS, "Pudgy") shot down by 2 Zeros 10 mi W of Murik, New Guinea Dec 1, 1943. MACR 1316 12 KIA" Missing Air Crew Report 1316 (MACR 1316) PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - B-24D Liberator 42-40830 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Lawrence N. Smith American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - George M. Dempster American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Harry M. Stoll American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Kenneth E. Twitty American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Daryl M. Stewart American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John H. Lenaghan American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Paul D. Waite American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William C. Gotcher American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Carl A. Canady American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Sidney L. Baggett American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William H. Bundy American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Mercy Rendon, Jr. FindAGrave - Capt Lawrence Smith (memorial photo) FindAGrave - Capt Lawrence N Smith (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - George MacPherson Dempster (photos, tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - 1Lt Harry M Stoll (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - 1Lt Kenneth E Twitty (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Kenneth Elwood Twitty (memorial photo) FindAGrave - FltOff Daryl M Stewart (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Daryl Mern Stewart (memorial photo) FindAGrave - TSgt John H Lenaghan (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - TSgt Paul D Waite (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - TSgt Paul D Waite (memorial marker) FindAGrave - William Carroll Gotcher (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - SSgt William C Gotcher (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - SSgt Carl A Canady (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Sgt Sidney L Baggett (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - SSgt William H Bundy (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - SSgt Mercy Rendon, Jr (tablets of the missing) Legacy of the 90th Bombardment Group (1994) pages 89, 90 Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated June 4, 2025
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