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  B-24D-155-CO "Heather Angel" Serial Number 42-72783 Number 783
USAAF
13th AF
307th BG
372nd BS

Click For Enlargement
307th BG 1944
Pilot  1st Lt. Earl R. Peters, O-797173 (MIA / KIA) Allentown, PA
Co-Pilot  2nd Lt Jed R. Moffett, O-756285 (MIA / KIA) El Paso County, TX
Navigator  1st Lt James W. Muldoon, 2045311 (MIA / KIA) New York, NY
Bombardier  1st Lt. Alexander W. Shoutis, O-741708 (MIA / KIA) Galway, NY
Engineer  TSgt Lloyd Coburn, 32408751 (MIA / KIA) Twin Rocks, PA
Asst Engineer  SSgt Leo W. Fredericks, 35506588 (MIA / KIA) Blackhawk, IN
Radio  TSgt Harold B. Clarkston, 33209040 (MIA / KIA) Seminary, VA
Asst Radio  SSgt Robert E. Stultz, 39680389 (MIA / KIA) Storrs, UT
Armorer Gunner  TSgt Francis T. Alishauskas, 33348463 (MIA / KIA) Scranton, PA
Gunner  SSgt George W. Morrison, 17051530 (MIA / KIA) Hennepin County, MN
MIA  April 27, 1944 at 4:10am
MACR  12418

Aircraft History
Built by Consolidated at San Diego. Constructors Number 2353. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24D-155-CO Liberator serial number 42-72783. Flown overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to the South Pacific (SoPAC).

Wartime History
Assigned to the 13th Air Force (13th AF), 307th Bombardment Group (307th BG) "Long Rangers", 372nd Bombardment Squadron (372nd BS). Nicknamed "Heather Angel" with the nose art of a nude brunette angle with folded wings with her arms extended standing atop a wing. Also known as "783" for the last three digits of the serial number. Later, the three digits were painted on the left side of the nose in large block digits. On the left side of the nose was a scoreboard with 13 bomb markings indicating bombing missions flown.

When lost, engines R-1830-65 serial numbers CP-301131, 42-3573, CP-302744 and CP-305101. Armed with ten .50 caliber machine guns makers and serial numbers listed in Missing Air Crew Report 12418 (MACR 12418).

Mission History
On April 27, 1944 in the early morning took off from Munda Airfield piloted by 1st Lt. Earl R. Peters on a flight to Nissan Airfield (Green) to refuel then took off again on a bombing mission (mission no. 249) against Dublon Island in Truk Lagoon. The weather was .5 broken cumulus clouds at 4,000 with visibility of 12-14 miles.

While on the bomb run, attacked by night fighters and was hit by gunfire and exploded. When this bomber failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA).

Search
No search was conducted for this bomber or the crew.

Memorials
The entire crew are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing.

Peters earned the Air Medal with six Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously.

Moffett earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously.

Muldoon earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), for a mission flown with pilot Lt. H. W. Faucett, Air Medal with seven Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously.

Shoutis earned the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at West Charlton Cemetery in Saratoga County, NY. He has another memorial marker at Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery at section M1, site 104.

Coburn earned the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously.

Fredricks earned the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously.

Clarkston earned the Air Medal with six Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously.

Stultz earned the Air Medal with eight Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously.

Alishauskas earned the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously.

Morrison earned the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously.

References
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Jed R. Moffett
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - James W. Muldoon
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Alexander W. Shoutis
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Lloyd Coburn
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Leo W. Fredericks
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Harold B. Clarkston
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Robert E. Stultz
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Francis T. Alishauskas
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - George W. Morrison
USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24D-155-CO Liberator 42-72783
"72783 (307th BG, 372nd BS "Heather Angel") lost Apr 27, 1944, Truk. MACR 12418"
Missing Air Crew Report 12418 (MACR 12418) created February 9, 1944
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Earl R. Peters
FindAGrave - 1Lt Earl R Peters (tablets of the missing photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Jed R. Moffett
FindAGrave - 2Lt Jed R Moffett (tablets of the missing photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - James W. Muldoon
FindAGrave - 1Lt James W Muldoon (crew photo, tablets of the missing)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Alexander W. Shoutis
FindAGrave - 1Lt Alexander Walter Shoutis (tablets of the missing)
FindAGrave - 1LT Alexander W Shoutis Jr. (memorial marker, West Charlton Cemetery)
FindAGrave - 1LT Alexander Walter Shoutis Jr. (memorial marker, Saratoga National Cemetery)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Lloyd Coburn
FindAGrave - TSgt Lloyd Coburn (tablets of the missing photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Leo W. Fredericks
FindAGrave - SSgt Leo W Fredericks (tablets of the missing photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Harold B. Clarkston
FindAGrave - TSgt Harold Bascomb Clarkston (photo, tablets of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - Harold Bascomb Clarkston (photo, memorial marker photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Robert E. Stultz
FindAGrave - SSgt Robert Earnest Stultz (obituary, tablets of the missing photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Francis T. Alishauskas
FindAGrave - Francis T. Alishauskas (tablets of the missing photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - George W. Morrison
FindAGrave - SSgt George W Morrison (tablets of the missing photo)
Galway 1900–1949 A Photographic History (2014) includes a profile of Alexander W. Shoutis

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Last Updated
December 7, 2023

 

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B-24

MIA
MIA
10 Missing

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Map
April 27, 1944

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