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| USAAF 5th AF 38th BG 71st BS |
Pilot Captain William L. Uhler, O-660013 (MIA / KIA) Baltimore, MD Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. Owen H. Salvage, O-798033 (POW, executed Aug 31, 1943, BR) Valley Stream, NY Navigator 1st Lt. Donnelly R. McMillan, O-660876 (MIA / KIA) Flagstaff, AZ Radio SSgt. Joseph H. McDonough, 13012101 (MIA / KIA) East Pittsburgh, PA Gunner SSgt. Gerard G. Fortier, 11037020 (MIA / KIA) Providence, RI Ditched August 2, 1943 MACR 4698 Aircraft History Built by North American Aviation (NAA). Constructors Number 87-8386. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-25D-10 Mitchell serial number 41-30221. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. Converted into a B-25D-1 strafer at the 4th Air Depot at Garbutt Field in Townsville. Wartime History On July 22, 1943 assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 38th Bombardment Group (38th BG), 71st Bombardment Squadron (71st BS). No known nose art or nickname. Assigned to pilot Captain William L. Uhler. When lost, engines R-2600-13 serial numbers 41-29308 and 41-29400. Armed with .50 caliber machine guns makers and serial numbers unknown. Mission History On August 2, 1943 at 10:00am took off from 17 Mile Drome (Durand) near Port Moresby piloted by Captain William L. Uhler as one of 24 B-25s on a barge sweep between Lae to Saidor on the north coast of New Guinea. The weather was good with excellent visibility. The bomber formation flew to Dobodura to rendezvous with escorting P-38 Lightnings from 49th Fighter Group (49th FG). Roughly ten miles south of Lae, the formation split up into pairs to search for targets. This bomber paired with B-25 piloted by Captain John L. Armor and soon afterwards spotted two barges and a launch 5 miles south of Lae and dove to strafe them and claimed to set them on fire. Pulling up, this B-25 accidentally collided with the right fuselage of Armor's bomber and on impact tore off the left wing tip. Damaged, this B-25 ditched in the sea off the north coast of New Guinea on what appeared to be a coral reef and was partially out of the water when last seen. The location was reported to be two miles north of Kepler Point, about sixty miles from Madang. Afterwards, Armor's plane circled the bomber and no survivors were seen to emerge. Soon afterwards, engaged by enemy fighters and engaged them with gunfire and was unable to observe the downed plane or look for any of the crew. When this plane failed to return, it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Walt Deas adds: "Loss also reported at Kelona village area of Wald Bay. Wald Bay may be Wab Bay." Fates of the Crew Four of the crew died in the crash. Co-pilot Salvage survived the crash was captured by the Japanese and became a Prisoner Of War (POW) and was transported to the Kempei Tai headquarters at Amron. On August 31, 1943 at Amron five American airmen: four from B-25D 41-30118 and 2nd Lt. Owen Salvage were escorted to a execution ground and soldiers took turns bayoneting them then were beheaded. Possibly, Uhler was also taken prisoner. Post war affidavit L/Cpl Yasukuni Tani (clerk, Kempei Tai at Amron) states: “The actual execution was to be three prisoners by Kempei Tai and two by headquarters Sentry Guard Unit. However, 1st Lt. Matsumoto’s Kempei Tai members said, “We will execute the three prisoners for the revenge of the death of our comrade, Cpl Nakano. This Matsumoto’s Unit had a conflict several weeks ago at Kesa village, which is located at the head of the Ramu River. The three prisoners were blindfolded and escorted down the mountain to the execution ground by the Kempei Tai members and Sgt Major Kawawa, Cpl Ishikawa and S. Pvt Ozawa. After about 20 minutes had elapsed, Matsumoto’s Kempei Tai group came back and said, “The execution is over now, we will proceed back immediately” and walked towards Kempei Tai Headquarters." Uhler may have been taken prisoner at Lae, if so ultimate fate unknown by he did not survive captivity or the Pacific War. Memorials The four missing crew were officially declared dead January 12, 1946. All four are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Postwar, the remains of Salvage were recovered and transported back to the United States. Savage is buried at Greenfield Cemetery in Uniondale, NY at lot 18. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - William L. Uhler NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Owen H. Salvage NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Donnelly R. Mc Millan [McMillan] NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Joseph H. Mc Donough [McDonough] NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Gerard G. Fortier NARA Records of World War II Prisoners of War does not list Owen H. Salvage as an official POW of the Japanese, but this was not uncommon for prisoners captured an executed in combat zones. USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-25D-10 Mitchell 41-30221 "30221 (38th BG) lost Aug 2, 1943. MACR 4698" Missing Air Crew Report 4698 (MACR 4698) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William L. Uhler FindAGrave - CPT William Leroy Uhler (photo, tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Owen H. Salvage (photos, obituary, grave photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Donnelly R. McMillan FindAGrave - 1LT Donnelly Robert McMillan (tablets of the missing photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Joseph H. McDonough FindAGrave - SSGT Joseph H McDonough (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - SSGT Gerard G. Fortier (tablets of the missing photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Gerard G. Fortier PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - B-25D Mitchell 41-30221 The Bomber Reef (2005) by Walt Deas covers the execution of the other B-25 crew Death At Amron by Walt Deas Sun Setters of the Southwest Pacific Area (2011) pages 156 (map), 179 (August 2, 1943), aII-4 (41-30221, August 2, 1943), aIII-6 (41-30221, 71st BS), ix-5 (index Fortier), ix-9 (index McDonough, McMilan), ix-13 (index Uhler) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated February 6, 2026 |
 B-25  Map Aug 2, 1943  MIA / POW 4 Missing 1 Prisoner |
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