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| USAAF 5th AF 380th BG Former Assignments 3rd BG  USAAF December 1943  Air Illustration 1990  Goh Loon 2008 |
Pilot 1st Lt. Raymond E. Geer (survived) Amarillo, TX Force Landed January 25, 1945 at 1:50pm MACR none Aircraft History Built by North American Aviation (NAA). Constructors Number 87-8387. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-25D-10 Mitchell serial number 41-30222. 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). Later, transfered to the 380th Bombardment Group (380th BG) "The Flying Circus". Nicknamed "Hawg-mouth" in an Old English style font painted in yellow on the left side of the nose. Below the left side of the cockpit was a scoreboard with bomb markings indicating bombing missions flown. Mission History On January 25, 1945 took off piloted by 1st Lt. Raymond E. Geer with a crew of four crew aboard. During the flight, this bomber force landed in the Tanami desert at 1:50pm roughly 60 miles west of Tennant Creek Airfield. The crew survived the landing unhurt. Fates of the Crew Afterwards, the crew were rescued and returned to duty. Wreckage This B-25 remained in situ in the Tanami desert until June 1974. Recovery Between June 3-7, 1974 this B-25 was recovered from the Tanami desert by the the Australian Aviation Heritage Centre (Darwin Aviation Museum). Afterwards, it was restored to static condition and repainted in the correct wartime markings when it force landed. Display The restored aircraft is displayed at the Australian Aviation Heritage Centre (Darwin Aviation Museum). Memorial Geer continued in the United States Air Force (USAF) and served in the Korean War and Vietnam War. He retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Geer passed away November 17, 1995. He is buried National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona at plot MA, memorial marker 156. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Raymond E. Geer USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-25D-10 Mitchell 41-30222 "30222 (MSN 87-8387) with 345th BG, 498th BS force-landed in Tanami Desert, Australia Jan 25, 1945. Recovered Jun 1974 by Aviation Historical Society and displayed at East Point Museum, Darwin, NT. Reported 1976 under restoration for Darwin Aviation Museum, Australia." FindAGrave - Raymond E Geer (photo, memorial marker photo) Darwin Aviation Museum - North American B-25 Bomber S/N 41-30222 Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated March 17, 2025
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