Wartime History
Assigned to the 5th Air Force, 90th Bombardment Group, 320th Bombardment Squadron. Nicknamed "Weezie" (with quotations around the nickname). The tail was painted with the group's "Jolly Rogers" motif on the tail of a white skull with crossed bombs.

During March 1944, assigned to 5th Bomber Command Replacement Center (V Bomber Command Repl Center) at 7 Mile Drome (Jackson) near Port Moresby. When lost, engines R-1830-42 serial numbers a) 42-89550 b) 42-87462 c) 42-36724 d) 42-87484. Weapon serial numbers not noted in Missing Air Crew Report 4090 (MACR 4090).

Mission History
On March 22, 1944 took off from 7 Mile Drome (Jackson) near Port Moresby piloted by 2nd Lt Robert E. Allred on a courier flight bound for Nadzab Airfield. Aboard were three crew and nineteen passengers. Over the Owen Stanley Range, this B-24 crashed into Mount Thumb killing everyone aboard on impact. When this B-24 failed to arrive it was declared Missing In Action (MIA).

Search
On March 27, 1944 search aircraft flew between 7 Mile Drome eastward to Hood Point and northward to Dobodura searching for the missing bomber with nil results.

Wreckage
During the early 1980s, the crash site was discovered by bird hunters including Bobie Fekima from Manumu village and reported to the PNG Museum Modern History Department curator Bruce Hoy who then reported the site to U. S. Army CILHI.

Remains Recovery
Between April 23-29, 1982, the crash site was investigated by U. S. Army CILHI led by Col. Rosenberg with Sgt David Kelly and Sgt Jay Warner plus PNG Museum Bruce Hoy and Charlie Obi. During the investigation, remains were recovered. Later these remains were identified and returned to the United States for permanent burial.

From the crash site, artifacts were recovered for the PNG Museum collection. Salvaged items including a tail stabilizer with the serial number "241081" and the Jolly Rogers motif of a white skull with crossed bombs. Also, a piece of the nose with shark mouth markings and other small artifacts including an unopened bottle of Quink Ink, hair oil, flying jackets, parachute, binoculars, pens, watches, bayonets, four Colt .45 pistols, and a .50 caliber machine gun without the barrel.

On July 2, 1983, Bruce Hoy and Peap Tomon from the PNG Museum plus author Susan Sheehan flew by helicopter to the crash site and camped at site. The following day while showing Susan around the crash site, Bruce Hoy observed additional human remains at the site and collected them. Later, these remains were also turned over to U. S. Army CILHI.

Memorials
The entire crew was officially declared dead the day of the mission. All are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing.

After the 1982 recovery of remains, the crew was permanently buried in the United States.
Allred at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) at Section V grave 931-B.
Geis at Fort Sheridan Cemetery in Highwood, IL.
Holm has a memorial marker at Kimball Cemetery in Kimball, NB.
Thompson is buried at Roopville City Cemetery in Roopville, GA.
Butler at Little Rock National Cemetery in Little Rock, AL at plot 15A grave 268.
Lawrence has a memorial marker at Lakeview Cemetery in Eau Claire, WI
Barnard has an unknown burial in the United States.
Samples at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA at section 12, site 8206.
Gross is buried at Fort Sheridan Cemetery in Highwood, IL.
Kachorek has an unknown burial in the United States.
Steiner is buried at Union Lawn Cemetery in Navarre, OH.
Mettam at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, CA at plot P grave 2905.
Walker has an unknown burial in the United States.
Loop was buried on March 5, 1983 at Gypsum Hill Cemetery in Salina, KS at plot: Blk 18, Lot 13, Space 01B
Young is buried at Good Hope Cemetery in Good Hope, IL at section 8.
Atkins has a memorial marker at Carrington Cemetery in Carrington, ND
Frazier is buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Oakwood, TX.
Carpenter at Oakwood Cemetery in Georgiana, AL.
Ginter has an unknown burial in the United States.
Shrake at Centerton Cemetery in Centerton, IL.
Staseowski has a memorial marker in Holyoke, MA .
Landrum was buried on February 5, 1983 at Kilgore City Cemetery in Kilgore, TX at plot A.

The graves of the other crew members are unknown, presumed to be in private cemeteries in the United States.

Display
After the recovery of remains, Bruce Hoy created an exhibit about this B-24 at the PNG Museum displayed in the indoor gallery. The display including the upper portion of the tail stabilizer with the U. S. Army serial number "241081" and the 90th Bombardment Group motif and artifacts recovered from the site displayed in the indoor gallery.

Bruce Hoy adds:
"The tail on display in Port Moresby off 42-41081 is not the original tail off that aircraft. One can still discern the original serial number under '241081' the numerals of which are not painted in the same manner as the usual military method of painting serial numbers. The entire tail unit has been replaced off another B-24, a slightly newer example. A photograph of the tail on its original aircraft taken in flight has been published in at least one book. 2nd Lt Harvey E. Landrum was an unmanifested passenger listed as AWOL and carried thus for years. I am not certain if there was an amendment to his records which stated that he may have been on 42-41081, so you would need to see his casualty file as well as the MACR. His remains were designated X19A. He may have been buried in Kilgore, Texas, as this is where his parents lived and died. His sister moved into her parent's house, and the Army only found her as she had not got around to changing the telephone listing, as her father's name was also Harvey."

References
Missing Air Crew Report 4090 (MACR 4090)
PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - B-24D Liberator 42-41081
Bruce Hoy Diary - March 15, 1982
Bruce Hoy Diary - March 16, 1982
Bruce Hoy Diary - March 17, 1982
Bruce Hoy Diary - March 18, 1982
Bruce Hoy Diary - April 2, 1982
A Missing Plane by Susan Sheehan details the history, discovery, recovery and identification of the crew
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Robert E. Allred "remains recovered"
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Raymond J. Geis, Jr. "remains recovered"
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Keith I. Holm "remains recovered"
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Robert C. Thompson "remains recovered"
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Clint P. Butler "remains recovered"
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Stanley C. Lawrence "remains recovered"
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Charles R. Barnard "remains recovered"
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Charles Samples Jr. "remains recovered"
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Stanley G. Gross "remains recovered"
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Joseph E. Kachorek Jr. "remains recovered"
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Charles R. Steiner "remains recovered"
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Joseph B. Mettam "remains recovered"
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Melvin F. Walker "remains recovered"
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Carlin E. Loop "remains recovered"
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Emory C. Young "remains recovered"
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Harold T. Atkins "remains recovered"
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Weldon W. Frazier "remains recovered"
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Thomas Carpenter Jr. "remains recovered"
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Frank Ginter "remains recovered"
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William M. Shrake "remains recovered"
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John J. Staseowski "remains recovered"
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Harvey E. Landrum "remains have been recovered"
FindAGrave - Robert Edward Allred (grave photo)
FindAGrave - Raymond J. Geis, Jr (grave photo)
FindAGrave - Keith Truman Holm (grave photo, photo)
FindAGrave - Capt Charles R Barnard
FindAGrave - 2Lt Stanley G Gross (grave photo)
FindAGrave - Charles Robert Steiner
FindAGrave - 2Lt Melvin F Walker
FindAGrave - Emory C Young
FindAGrave - 1Sgt Harold Atkins (tablets of the missing)
FindAGrave - Harold T Atkins (photo, memorial marker)
FindAGrave - Sgt. Weldon Walker Frazier
FindAGrave - Thomas Jiles Carpenter, Jr (grave photo)
FindAGrave - SSgt Frank Ginter (tablets of the missing)
FindAGrave - William M. "Billy" Shrake (grave photo)
FindAGrave - SSgt John J Staseowski (memorial marker)
FindAGrave - Sgt Robert Charles "Charlie" Thompson (photo, grave photo)
FindAGrave - Sgt Clint P. Butler, Jr (grave photo)
FindAGrave - Sgt Clint P. Butler, Jr (grave photo)
FindAGrave - Sgt Stanley Charles Lawrence (tablet of the missing)
FindAGrave - Stanley C. Lawrence (memorial marker) date incorrectly listed as Mar. 21 1944
FindAGrave - Charles Samples, Jr (grave photo)
FindAGrave - Capt Charles R Barnard (tablets of the missing photo) date incorrectly listed as Jul. 22, 1944
FindAGrave - Tec4 Joseph E Kachorek, Jr (tablets of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - Joseph B Mettam (grave photo)
FindAGrave - 2Lt Melvin F Walker (tablets of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - PFC Carlin E Loop (tablets of the missing)
FindAGrave - Carlin E Loop (grave photo)
FindAGrave - 2Lt Harvey E Landrum (news paper article, tablets of the missing)
FindAGrave - Lieut Harvey E Landrum, Jr (grave photo)
Associated Press (AP) "Bodies of 22 U. S. Soldiers Finally Located" by Christopher Connell December 7, 1986
Thanks to Bruce Hoy, Bobie Fekima and Niki Bobie additional information

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Last Updated
June 29, 2019