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| USAAF 5th AF 43rd BG 65th BS  Justin Taylan 2003 |
Aircraft History Built by Consolidated Aircraft Corporation at San Diego. Constructors Number 3060. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24J-50-CO Liberator serial number 42-73490. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia arriving November 29, 1943. Wartime History In January 1944, assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 43rd Bombardment Group (43rd BG) "Ken's Men", 65th Bombardment Squadron (65th BS) "The Lucky Dicers". No known nickname or nose art. Assigned to pilot 1st Lt. Vernon F. Gaston. Also known as #490 for the last three digits of the serial number. On February 21, 1944 took off from North Borio Airfield (Dobodura No. 15) piloted by 1st Lt. Vernon F. Gaston armed with six 1,000' bombs on a bombing mission against Iboki Plantation near Rein Bay on New Britain. Halfway down the runway, the no. 3 engine cut out and was unable to get airborne. When the co-pilot applied the breaks they failed and the bomber continued down the runway unable to stop. Gaston increased the power on the no. 2 engine in an attempt to get airborne but the engine blew a cylinder. Unable to stop, Gaston turned the plane into dirt at the edge of the runway to avoid a camp area. When the left wing hit the dirt, the bomber jumped and both landing gear collapsed and came to a halt. None of the crew were injured in the crash, including SSgt Robert White and TSgt Marvin McRenolds. After the crash, the left wing and no. 1 and no. 2 engines were destroyed plus damage to the nose and bomb bay, left stabilizer bent and fuselage cracked in half. This was the 69th bomber lost by the squadron to date. Wreckage Afterwards, written off stripped for usable parts and abandoned at North Borio Airstrip (Dobodura No. 15). As of 2003, only the fuselage remains, broken into two pieces. Charles Darby adds: "When I last saw it about 12 years ago [1998] the fuselage and wing centre section was complete and virtually undamaged and a lot of the internal equipment was still in place." In 2002, locals dragged this wreckage into the kunai, in the hopes of selling the wreckage to Robert Greinert, but remained. Justin Taylan adds: "I first saw this wreckage in 2000 in situ to the side of the former runway in bush. On a later visit in 2003, the wreckage was dragged out into an area with kunai grass." References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Vernon F. Gaston USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24J-50-CO Liberator 42-73490 Ken's Men Against The Empire Volume II (2019) pages 78-79 (February 21, 1944), 375 (65th BS, 42-73490), 446 (index Gaston) Thanks to Charles Darby for additional information Contribute
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