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| USAAF 5th AF 38th BG 405th BS |
Pilot 1st Lt. Charles E. Barber, O-725575 (MIA / KIA) Omaha, NE Co-Pilot 2nd Lt Richard R. Vogel, O-734282 (MIA / KIA) PA Navigator 2nd Lt Thomas H. Boots, O-733136 (MIA / KIA) PA Radio T/Sgt John H. Martin, Jr., 34334379 (MIA / KIA) AL Gunner Sgt Harvey C. Noren, 17026724 (MIA / KIA) MN MIA September 2, 1943 MACR 13287 Aircraft History Built by North American Aviation (NAA). Constructors Number 87-8420. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-25D-10 Mitchell serial number 41-30255. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. Converted into a B-25D-1 strafer version by the 4th Air Depot at Garbutt Field. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 38th Bombardment Group (38th BG), 405th Bombardment Squadron (405th BS). No known nose art or nickname. Converted to a strafer variant (B-25D-1) by the 4th Air Depot at Garbutt Field near Townsville. Mission History On September 2, 1943 at 7:00am took off from 17 Mile Drome (Durand) near Port Moresby piloted 1st Lt. Charles E. Barber armed with two 1,000 pound bombs as one of nine B-25s on a low level bombing and strafing attack (Mission Number 244-H) to strike Japanese shipping in Wewak Harbor off Wewak. The 405th Bombardment Squadron (405th BS) led by Captain Garrett Middlebrook was leading the mission followed by the 71st Bombardment Squadron (71st BS). The bombers flew north to Marilinan and circled for thirty minutes before rendezvousing with escorting P-38 Lightnings from 80th Fighter Squadron (80th FS) then proceeded up the Ramu Valley to Wewak. South of the Prince Alexander Range, the B-25s split into two plane elements for bombing and strafing runs. The weather had an undercast at 5,000' forcing them to fly low below the clouds as they approached. Over the target area, the 405th Bombardment Squadron (405th BS) approached Wewak from the south and descended to minimum altitude over Boram Airfield before reaching Wewak Harbor. Immediately, the formation was targeted by anti-aircraft fire from shore batteries and from Japanese vessels of the 7th Wewak Convoy inside Wewak Harbor. Each ship had a barrage balloon roughly 10' in diameter tethered at 400' to deter low flying planes. Already airborne were thirty-six Japanese fighters misidentified as "Zeros" in fact, they were Type 1 Fighters / Ki-43 Oscars from 13th Hiko Sentai (13th Hiko Sentai), 24th Hiko Sentai (24th Flying Regiment), 59th Hiko Sentai (59th Flying Regiment) and Type 3 Fighter Hein / Ki-61 Tony from 68th Hiko Sentai (68th Flying Regiment). Eight Zekes [sic Ki-43 Oscars] and Ki-61 Tonys attacked the 405th Bombardment Squadron's first flight led by Captain Garrett Middlebrook as they bombed and strafed a "Fox Able" (Japanese merchant vessel 5,500-7,500 tons with 3 masts or more, likely Nagato Maru) anchored east of Cape Boram in Boram Bay and claimed a single a near miss with a 1,000 pound bomb and claimed a Zeke [sic Oscar] shot down. The second flight led by B-25D "Tokyo Sleeper" 41-12905 piloted by 1st Lt. Roy Gover and this B-25 as wingman attacked the same Fox Able (likely Nagato Maru) and claimed two 1,000 pound bomb hits that left the vessel burning and sinking. After departing the target area, this B-25 was intercepted by two Japanese fighters roughly fifteen miles southeast of Wewak, approximately ten miles out to sea. At the time, Lt. Barber was flying in the wing position for Lt. Grover, and was pulling into formation at a low altitude. The airplane was seen to hit the water with its right wing, which caused the aircraft to cartwheel and sink. When this B-25 failed to return, it was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA). Also lost were B-25D 41-30319 (MIA) and B-25D 41-30247 (MIA) and P-38H 42-66563 (MIA). The Japanese lost four fighters shot down and two pilots killed in action (KIA). References NARA - Charles E. Barber NARA - Richard R. Vogel NARA - Thomas H. Boots NARA - John H. Martin, Jr., NARA - Harvey C. Noren USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-25D-10 Mitchell 41-30255 "30255 (38th BG, 405th BS) shot down by Japanese fighter and crashed into Bismarck Sea 15 mi off Wewak, New Guinea Sep 2, 1943. MACR 13287" Missing Air Crew Report 13287 (MACR 13287) "The wing tip of Barber's B-25 hit the water and the plane cartwheeled and sank" 38th Bombardment Group Official History, page 165-175 (167) "Lt. Barber, flying wing for Lt. Grover, was shot down by two unidentified enemy fighters approximately 15 miles southeast of Wewak and about ten miles off shore. At the time, Lt. Barber was pulling into formation and was flying low over the water. His plane was last seen to hit the water with its right wing cutting the water first causing the plane to cartwheel and sink." American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Charles E. Barber American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Richard R. Vogel American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Thomas H. Boots American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John H. Martin Jr. American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Harvey C. Noren FindAGrave - 1Lt Charles E Barber (photo, obituary, tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - 2Lt Richard R Vogel (photo, obituary, tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - 2Lt Thomas H Boots (photo, tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - TSgt John H Martin, Jr (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Sgt Harvey C Noren (tablets of the missing) PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - B-25D Mitchell 41-30255 Tuluvu's Air War, Chapter 5 by Richard Dunn "The 5th Air Force struck both Wewak and Tuluvu on September 2nd [1943]…. The 7th Wewak Convoy did not fare so well. American bombers sank two of the five transports. The air battle was more even. Seventeen B-25s and forty P-38s attacked Wewak where they encountered thirty-six fighters from 13th, 24th, 59th, and 68th FRs. Three B-25s and two P-38s went down. The Japanese lost four fighters with two pilots killed." Sun Setters of the Southwest Pacific Area (2011) pages 206-214 (September 2, 1943) Thanks to Richard Dunn and Edward Rogers for additional information 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  Lat 3.33 Long 143.58  MIA 5 Missing |
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