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| USAAF 5th AF 345th BG 499th BS  G. Short August 3, 1943 |
Pilot Lt. Alden W. Thompson, Jr., O-727804 (survived) Morgantown, WV Co-Pilot 2nd Lt George W. Cagle, Jr., O-734189 (survived) Bartlett, TX Bombardier 2nd Lt. John R. Yarborough, O-732479 (WIA, MIA / KIA, BNR) SC Navigator SSgt Lawrence B. Davis, 34333036 (WIA, MIA / KIA, BNR) AL Radio-Gunner TSgt Walter A. Malone (survived) Miles City, MT Engineer-Gunner SSgt George A. Mottern (survived) Murstal, TN Ditched July 13, 1943 MACR none Aircraft History Built by North American Aviation (NAA). Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-25D-5 Mitchell serial number 41-30013. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 345th Bombardment Group (345th BG), 499th Bombardment Squadron (499th BS). Assigned to pilot Alden Thompson with crew chief TSgt Aaron B. Croop. Nicknamed "Jelly Belly" with the nose art of a pair of dice showing a "4" and "3". The nickname was a reference to a character in Thompson's hometown. Nose number "134". Mission History On July 13, 1943 took off from Port Moresby piloted by Lt. Alden W. Thompson, Jr. leading a medium altitude bombing mission against Salamaua. Over the target at 10,000', a burst of anti-aircraft fire exploded directly under the nose of this bomber, damaging the plane and wounded bombardier Yarborough in the face. The controls were damaged and the pilot glided down parallel to the coastline and made a water landing, escorted by their two wingmen. Ditched into the sea roughly 10 miles off Salus village south of Tambu Bay near Salamaua. On landing, this B-25 broke into two pieces at the rear fuselage. Yarborough was unable to escape as the bomber sank and went down with the aircraft. When lost, this bomber was the 345th Bombardment Group's first combat loss. Fates of the Crew The surviving crew inflated their Mae West life vests and exited the sinking plane. During the crash, Davis suffered two broken legs above the ankles and died six hours later attempting to swim ashore, and his body sank. Joining hands, the crew began to swim towards shore. Above, the B-25 piloted by Cooper lingered in the area to protect them, and flew towards friendly lines and dropped a message to an Australian Army position about the downed crew and attempted to send a native canoe to the scene, but it got swamped in the heavy seas. When the crew was reported lost when the formation returned back at base, Col. True took off without fighter escort to drop a life raft to them, but was unable to locate them. The crew saw the circling B-25, but had no way to signal it. After ten hours at sea, the crew managed to swim ashore around dark but found themselves roughly two miles behind Japanese lines. Between the four surviving crew, they had only a single .45 pistol. Together, they avoided the enemy and made their way towards Allied lines before finally reaching an Australian Army outpost and were returned to duty three days later. Pilot Thompson's replacement aircraft was nicknamed "Jelly Belly 2nd" after the loss of this bomber. On September 9, 1943 three members of this crew: Thompson, Cagle and Malone were killed aboard B-25D "Jelly Belly 2nd" 41-30516. Memorials Yarborough and Davis were both officially declared dead the day of the mission and remain listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Both are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - George Cagle AWM 015391 PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - B-25C Mitchell 41-30013 Warpath Across The Pacific page 30 (map), 33-34 (photos), 365, 386 Thanks to Phil Bradley and Edward Rogers for additional research and analysis 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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 B-25  MIA 2 Missing |
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