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| RAAF No. 24 Squadron Former Assignment No. 7 OTU   RAAF March 23, 1945 |
Pilot S/L Nathaniel Herbert Straus, 250759 (KIA, BR) East Malvern, VIC 2nd Pilot F/SGT Harry James Boyd, 427775 (MIA / KIA) Pomborneit North, VIC Bombardier F/Lt Charles David Parry-Okeden, 404485 (KIA, BR) Redcliffe, QLD Navigator/Bombardier F/O Raymond Allenby Whiting, 426733 (MIA / KIA) Ascot, QLD WO/Gunner F/O John Wilson Hursthouse, 416215 (MIA / KIA) Toorak Gardens, SA WO/Gunner W/O William Richard Flanagan, 401748 (MIA / KIA) Warrandyte, VIC Gunner W/O Herbert Gordon Parker, 408591 (MIA / KIA) Broadbeach, QLD Gunner F/SGT John Richmond Ryan, 422716 (MIA / KIA) Bondi, NSW Gunner F/Sgt William Anthony Jordon Rodgers, 436889 (KIA, BR) Gunner Sgt Alexander Douglas Whitehead, 121592 (MIA / KIA) Jervois, SA Engineer F/SGT Ronald Malcolm Morris, 46563 (MIA / KIA) Wagin, WA Passenger Cpl Douglas William Madden, 36484 (MIA / KIA) Carlton, NSW Crashed March 23, 1945 at 7:13am Aircraft History Built by Consolidated at San Diego. Constructors Number 5386. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24L-5-CO Liberator serial number 44-41450. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to arriving June 10, 1944 in Australia. Wartime History Assigned to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as Liberator A72-80. Assigned to No. 7 Operational Training Unit (7 OTU). Nicknamed "Old Nick". On December 1, 1944 assigned to No. 24 Squadron and four days later arrived at Truscott Airfield. Mission History On March 23, 1945 at 6:50am took off from Truscott Airfield piloted by S/L Nathaniel H. Straus as one of four Liberators on an armed shipping sweep. This Liberator turned back to base after experiencing a problem and attempted to ditch but instead crashed into Vansittart Bay off Western Australia. When this aircraft failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA).b Recovery of Remains After the crash, the bodies of three of the crew were recovered. Rogers on March 23, Straus on March 29 and Parry-Okeden on March 31. Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead the day of the mission. The three recovered crew members are buried at Adelaide River War Cemetery. Rodgers at C.D.2. Straus at G.D.15. Parry-Okeden at G.D.13. The rest of the crew is memorialized at Adelaide River War Cemetery on the Northern Territory Memorial panel 6 Whiting, Boyd, panel 7 Hursthouse, panel 8 Flanagan, Broadbeach, Whitehead, panel 9 Ryan, Morris and panel 11 Madden. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24L-5-CO Liberator 44-41450 "41450 to RAAF as A72-80 - w/o in crash 3-45." No. 24 Squadron Operations Log March 23, 1945: "Shortly after take off, S/Ldr Straus called Truscott tower on V.H.F. indicating that he was preparing for an emergency landing. Owing to low altitude it was apparent that S/Ldr Straus could not locate the strip. For 23 minutes after take off the aircraft was airborne and during this time various messages from the aircraft were received by Truscott tower and V.H.F. homing and by the remainder of the aircraft in the formation. None of these messages informed the exact cause of the distress but all that was received was that the aircraft could not gain height. At 0713 hours a message was received that S/Ldr Straus was about to ditch in Vansittart Bay. Following this the crews of the remaining three aircraft saw A72-80 ditch with wings level but at a fairly high rate of descent. The aircraft caught fire on impact with the water and disintegrated." ADF Serials - Liberator A72-80 CWGC - Nathaniel Herbert Straus CWGC - Harry James Boyd CWGC - Charles David Parry-Okeden CWGC - Raymond Allenby Whiting CWGC - John Wilson Hursthouse CWGC - William Richard Flanagan CWGC - Herbert Gordon Parker CWGC - John Richmond Ryan CWGC - William Anthony Jordon Rodgers CWGC - Alexander Douglas Whitehead CWGC - Ronald Malcolm Morris CWGC - Douglas William Madden Thanks to Daniel Leahy and David J. Hursthouse for additional information Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated
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