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Pilot 1st Lt. Thane C. Hecox, Jr., T-134232 (MIA / KIA, BR) Columbus, OH Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. James W. Dubose, O-672049 (MIA / KIA, BR) Pittsylvania County, VA Navigator Captain Sylvester A. Hoffman, O-729443 (MIA / KIA, BR) Madison, WI Engineer SSgt Joseph H. Peyton, 33222873 (MIA / KIA, BR) Beaverdam, VA Radio TSgt James L. Davis, 34167819 (MIA / KIA, BR) DeKalb County, GA Gunner SSgt Oliver H. Miller, 37267842 (MIA / KIA, BR) Treynor, IA Crashed February 15, 1944 MACR none Aircraft History Built by North American Aviation (NAA) in Inglewood. Constructors Number 87-8157. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-25D-5 Mitchell serial number 41-29992. 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), 90th Bombardment Squadron (90th BS). Nicknamed "Jack Rabbit Express". On November 29, 1943 transfered to the 345th Bombardment Group (345th BG) "Air Apaches", 500th Bombardment Squadrion (500th BS) "Rough Raiders". Modified into a B-25D-1 strafer variant at the 4th Air Depot at Garbutt Field in Townsville. Mission History On February 15, 1944 took off piloted by 1st Lt. Thane Custer Hecox Jr. on a low level strike against Kavieng on New Ireland. This was scheduled to be Hecox's last combat mission before rotating back to the United States. Over the target, shot down by anti-aircraft fire and from an altitude of 50' crashed into a coconut palm grove killing the entire crew. When this B-25 failed to return the crew was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA). Recovery of Remains Postwar, the remains of the crew were recovered and transported to the United States for burial. Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead the day of the mission. On April 26, 1950 the entire crew is buried in a group burial at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery at section I site 114. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Thane C. Hecox NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - James W. Dubose NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Sylvester A. Hoffman NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Joseph H. Peyton NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - James L. Davis USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-25D-5 Mitchell 41-29992 FindAGrave - 1LT Thane Custer Hecox Jr. (photos, group burial photo) FindAGrave - 2LT James Webb DuBose (photo, group burial photo) FindAGrave - Capt Sylvester Aloysius “Bud” Hoffman (photo, news, group burial photo) FindAGrave - SSGT Joseph H Peyton (group burial photo) FindAGrave - TSGT James L Davis (group burial photo) FindAGrave - SSGT Oliver Oscar Miller (group burial photo) Warpath Across the Pacific (1996) pages 122 (February 15, 1944), 368 (February 15, 1944 B-25D 41-29992), 392 (500th BS, 41-29992), 442 (index Jack Rabbit Express) 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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