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| USAAF 5th AF 345th BG 498th BS  498th BS c1943 |
Pilot 1st Lt. Edgar R. Cavin (survived) Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. Elmer J. Kirkland (survived) Bellaire, OH Crew TSgt Fred E. Arnett (survived) Crew SSgt Lawrence Herbst (survived) Crew TSgt Michael J. Chorney (survived) Crew TSgt Robert E. Cross (survived) Passenger Captain Robert G. Huff (survived) Franklin County, OH Ditched February 15, 1944 MACR none Aircraft History Built by North American Aviation (NAA). Constructors Number 87-8206. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-25D-10 Mitchell serial number 41-30041. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. Wartime History During March 1943 assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 345th Bombardment Group (345th BG) "Air Apaches", 498th Bombardment Squadron (498th BS) "Falcons". Assigned to pilot Edgar R. Cavin and crew chief Burns. Nicknamed "Gremlin's Holiday" with the nose art of a gremlin with a bomb in each hand, about to hurl one. Converted into a strafer variant (B-25D-1) at the 4th Air Depot at Garbutt Field near Townsville. Mission History On February 15, 1944 took off from Dobodura Airfield piloted by 1st Lt. Edgar R. Cavin on a low level mission against Kavieng. Aboard was passenger Captain Robert G. Huff who wanted to experience a combat mission. Over the target, hit by intense anti-aircraft fire that set the right engine and turret tank on fire. This B-25 ditched four miles northwest of Kavieng roughly 400 yards offshore. Other sources list the location as three miles from shore. When this plane failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Fates of the Crew After the ditching, the B-25 quickly sank as the crew jumped into the sea wearing their life vest. During the ditching, Arnett suffered a broken shoulder. Huff sustained spinal injuries and a gash in one of his shins. Huff had no life jacket and pilot Cavin gave him his life jacket. The landing was observed by other B-25s in the formation that radioed their position. The bombers dropped a life raft and supplies. Meanwhile, the crew managed to retrieve two life rafts and attempted to paddle away from the coast. Rescue The entire crew was rescued by PBY "Arkansas Traveler" 08139 piloted by Lt(jg) Nathan G. Gordon which landed despite rough seas and Japanese fire. Gordon earned the Metal of Honor for this action. Nathan G. Gordon recalled: "After taking, off, we got a call from a B-25 that was spotting from the air, and was radioing us instructions and coordinates of ditched planes. He called in the position of a B-25 that had ditched. [The B-25 spotted from the air was piloted by Major Chester A. Coltharp, C.O. of 498th BS]. I made another stall landing to pick up this crew. All six were in the water. When we landed, we realized that we would have to cut the one engine when we picked up the crew. The swells were so high, they were right up to the engines which as you know are on the top edge of the wing of the PBY. We were afraid that they might hit the prop when we got close to them. I turned to Wily, our mechanic and asked him if we shut off the port engine, would we be able to restart it? He said yes, so I did." Wreckage During 2001, Don Fetterly and Rod Pearce unsuccessfully searched for this aircraft: "I now believe after studding all the facts from that raid that "Gremlins Holiday" went down in deep water some 4-6 miles NNW of Kavieng. It would take some pretty sophisticated equipment to find it. The water was quite murky around the wrecks and we never got better visibility." Memorials Kirkland died May 29, 1944 piloting B-25H 43-4344 on a low level strike against Biak. He is buried at Manila American Cemetery at plot D, row 2, grave 128. He earned the Silver Star and Purple Heart Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster. posthumously. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Edgar R. Cavin NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Elmer J. Kirkland NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Robert G. Huff USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-25D-10 Mitchell 41-30041 345th Bombardment Group Airplane Casualties - "B-25 crashed about 4 miles northwest of the town of Kavieng." PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - B-25C Mitchell 41-30041 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Elmer J. Kirkland FindAGrave - 1LT Elmer Jebb Kirkland (Manila American Cemetery photo, memorial marker photo) Warpath Across The Pacific (1996) pages 32 (photo over Port Moresby early July 1943), 82 (photo November 2, 1943 over Simpson Harbor, Rabaul), 124-126 (February 15, 1944 ditching), 125 (photo), 128 (rescue), 197 (artwork caption), 381 (498th BS, 41-30041), 441 (index Gremlin's Holiday), 441 (index Huff), 442 (index Kirkland) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated November 22, 2025 |
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