Aircraft History
Built by Consolidated at San Diego during 1941. Constructors Number 7. Delivered to the U.S. Army. When lost, engines 42-92760, 42-93001, 42-38089 and 42-92839.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 14th Air Force, 308th Bombardment Group, 425th Bombardment Squadron. Assigned to Lt. Roger P. Haley. Nicknamed "Haley's Comet" after the pilot.

Mission History
On January 25, 1944 around 7:00am took off from Kunming Airfield in China piloted by Major Harry H. Musinski on a ferry flight bound for Chabua Airfield in India. When this B-24 failed to arrive it was declared Missing In Action (MIA). Also lost is B-24J "Hot As Hell" 42-73308 pilot 1st Lt. William A. Swanson (MIA).

Wreckage
On January 4, 2011 this crash site was visited by Clayon Kuhles / MIA Recoveries.

Memorials
The entire crew as officially declared dead on January 26, 1946. All are memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery.

Musinski also has a memorial marker at Wildwood Cemetery in Gardner, MA.
Fraiser also has a memorial marker at Fort Custer National Cemetery at Augusta, MI at plot MA, site 15.
Maupin also has a memorial marker at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, CO at MB, 337 and Riverside Cemetery in Sterling, CO.
Adams is also memorialized on that Monument to Aviation Martyrs Nanjing Memorial in Nanjing, China.
Ferguson is also memorialized at Sulphur Springs City Cemetery in Sulphur Springs, TX.

References
Missing Air Crew Report 2139 (MACR 2139)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Harry B. Musinski
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Toney W. Gochnauer
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John B. Frazier
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - George R. Maupin
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Joseph P. Kurta
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Donah L. Adams
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Wellington W. Hull
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John W. Karns
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Charles H. Mortimer
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Robert O. Watson
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Jack R. Ferguson
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Edward W. Higgins
FindAGrave - Maj Harry H "Moosh" Musinski (photos)
FindAGrave - Maj Harry H Musinski (memorial marker photo)
FindAGrave - 2Lt Toney W Gochnauer (tablets of the missing)
FindAGrave - 2Lt John Burke Frazier, Jr (photo, tablets of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - Lieut John Burke Frazier, Jr (memorial marker photo)
FindAGrave - 2Lt George R Maupin (tablets of the missing)
FindAGrave - George R Maupin (photo, Riverside Cemetery memorial marker photo)
FindAGrave - George R Maupin (photo, Fort Logan National Cemetery memorial marker photo2)
FindAGrave - TSgt Joseph Paul Kurta (tablets of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - SSgt Donah Lee Adams (tablets of the missing photos)
FindAGrave - Sgt Donah L Adams (memorial marker photo)
FindAGrave - TSgt Wellington W Hull (tablets of the missing photos)
FindAGrave - SSgt John W Karns (tablets of the missing photos)
FindAGrave - Sgt John W. Karns (memorial marker photo)
FindAGrave - 1Lt Charles Howard Mortimer (tablets of the missing photos)
FindAGrave - SSgt Robert O Watson (tablets of the missing)
FindAGrave - TSgt Jack Robert Ferguson (tablets of the missing)
FindAGrave - Jack Robert Ferguson (memorial marker photo)
FindAGrave - TSgt Edward Wallace Higgins (tablets of the missing)
China Up And Down by John T Foster "Disastrous Day Over Hump!' The plane was named after Lt Roger P Haley, Pilot, who was not on the plane the day it went missing. Instead, his replacement was Major Harry Musinski."
MIA Recoveries - B-24J 42-73242 Expedition Photo Gallery
MIA Recoveries - Letter by George R. Maupin October 20, 1992
MIA Recoveries - B-24J 42-73242 Crashed Aircraft Site Report [PDF]
Stars and Stripes "One final trip: Remains from 1944 India crash site coming home to US" April 8, 2016
Thanks to Clayon Kuhles and Gary Zaetz for additional information

Last Updated
May 7, 2023