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| USAAF 5th AF 3rd BG 13th BS  John Douglas 1990s  Daniel Leahy 2005 |
Pilot 2nd Lt. Harold J. Heinbuch, O-789161 (survived) OH Navigator Lt. Walkur (survived) Bombardier Lt. Owen (survived) Engineer Sgt Jack R. Keith (survived) Gunner Sgt Glenn F. Crawford Jr., 14047825 (survived) GA Crashed October 13, 1942 MACR none Aircraft History Built by North American Aviation (NAA) in Inglewood. Constructors Number 82-5136. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-25C Mitchell serial number 41-12501. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 3rd Bombardment Group (3rd BG), 13th Bombardment Squadron (13th BS). No known nose art or nickname. Mission History On October 13, 1942 took off from 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby piloted by 2nd Lt. Harold J. Heinbuch as one of two B-25s on a mission to bomb a Japanese submarine off Goodenough Island. Over the target, the bombers failed to locate the submarine and instead attacked the secondary target, a Japanese landing party on Waytutu Point. Returning in bad weather, the crew was unable to locate their airfield and the entire crew bailed out to the northwest of Port Moresby. This bomber crashed near Lea Lea. Fates of the Crew The entire crew landed unhurt and later returned to duty. Later, Heinbuch and Crawford later went Missing In Action (MIA) aboard B-25D Mitchell 41-29733 on December 31, 1942. Keith went Missing In Action (MIA) aboard B-25C Mitchell 41-12962 on July 23, 1943. Wreckage This B-25 crashed near Lea Lea. Until the early 2000, the crash site included both engines, propellers, machine guns and other wreckage. The tail had the last three digits of the serial number "501" were visible in yellow. Between the 1990s and 2005, most of the wreckage and aluminum was scrapped. It is unclear if any wreckage remains today. Daniel Leahy visited the site in August 2005: "All that is left is the crash crater, two engines and two machine guns at the site." References USAF Serial Number Search Results - North American B-25C Mitchell 41-12501 "12501 (MSN 82-5136) to Netherlands East Indies AF as N5-161 Feb 26, 1942. Ferried to Australia and renumbered N5-126 Jun 21, 1942. Assigned to 18 Squadron, NEIAF, Canberra, Australia. To USAAF Sep 1, 1942. In accident Oct 15, 1942." PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - B-25C Mitchell 13 October 1943 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Harold J. Heinbuch American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Glenn F. Crawford Jr. FindAGrave - 2Lt Harold J Heinbuch (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Harold J Heinbuch (memorial marker) Thanks to Edward Rogers and Daniel Leahy for their assistance with this profile 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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