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| USAAF 5th AF 345th BG 500th BS Former Assignments 498th BS 3rd BG 8th BS |
Pilot 1st Lt. James A. Waggle, O-735708 (MIA / KIA) Clovis, CA Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. Robert B. Bidgood, O-750320 (MIA / KIA) Dublin, GA Bombardier 2nd Lt. Edward E. Hooper, O-745820 (MIA / KIA) Arlington, VA Engineer SSgt Daniel L. Brick, 13101958 (MIA / KIA) Baltimore, MD Radio Sgt William Murphy, 32409187 (MIA / KIA) NJ / County Cork, Ireland Gunner SSgt Harold W. Anderson, 39098867 (MIA / KIA) Orleans, CA MIA April 16, 1944 "Black Sunday" MACR 4338 Aircraft History Built by North American Aviation (NAA). Constructors Number 87-8480. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-25D-10 Mitchell serial number 41-30315. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. Modified into a B-25D-1 strafer variant by the 4th Air Depot at Garbutt Field in Townsville. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF). Modified into a B-25D-1 strafer by the 4th Air Depot at Garbutt Field in Townsville. Assigned to the 3rd Bombardment Group (3rd BG), 8th Bombardment Squadron (8th BS). No known nickname or nose art. On January 11, 1944 assigned to the 345th Bombardment Group (345th BG), 498th Bombardment Squadron (498th BS). Nicknamed "Tinkie". Assigned to pilot True and crew chief Russell. On April 8, 1944 transferred to the 500th Bombardment Squadron (500th BS) "Rough Raiders". Assigned to pilot 1st Lt. James Waggle. When lost engines R-2600-13 serial numbers left 41-29069 right 41-29151. Armed with eight .50 caliber machine guns in the nose makers unknown plus a pair of .50 caliber machine guns in the waist, top turret and tail. Serial numbers noted in Missing Air Crew Report 4338 (MACR 4338). Mission History On April 16, 1944 took off from Nadzab Airfield No. 4 (APO 713, Unit 1) piloted by 1st Lt. James Waggle on a medium altitude bombing mission over Hollandia. Returning, the formation encountered intense thunderstorms and bad weather on the return flight. Last seen at low altitude in formation north of Bogadjim over Astrolabe Bay. Observed going into a huge cloud cover, believed to have crashed in the sea in that vicinity. When this plane failed to return, listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Search On April 18, 1944 B-25 piloted by 2nd Lt. Robert K. Scudder took off from Nadzab Airfield No. 3 at 7:30am to search for this missing plane flying down the mountain ridges on the north side of the Markham Valley to Lae then continued along the north coast to Finschafen and Saidor then changed course due to bad weather and flew west to Bagabag Island and Karkar Island and searched the coast to Manam Island then down to Potsdam Plantation then back via Saidor, Finschhafen, Lae before returning to land at Nadzab. During the search, visibility was poor and there were nil sightings. The next day, the same search was flown with nil sightings. Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead on February 7, 1946. Waggle earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Bidgood earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. He also has a memorial marker at Northview Cemetery in Dublin, GA. Hooper earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Hooper also has a memorial marker at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Buena Vista, CO at block 39 lot 7 E. Brick earned the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Murphy earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Anderson also has a memorial marker at Greenwood Cemetery in Arcata, CA. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-25D-10 Mitchell 41-30315 "30315 (345th BG, 500th BS, *Tinkie*) missing Jun 4, 1944. MACR 4338" Missing Air Crew Report 4338 (MACR 4338) created April 21, 1944 PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - B-25D-1 Mitchell 41-30315 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - James A. Waggle American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Robert B. Bidgood American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Edward E. Hooper American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Daniel L. Brick American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William Murphy American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Harold W. Anderson FindAGrave - 1Lt James Allen Waggle (photo, news articles, tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - 2Lt Robert Bruce Bidgood (photo, tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Lieut Robert Bruce Bidgood (photo, memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - 2Lt Edward E Hooper (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Edward Earl Hooper (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - Sgt Daniel L Brick (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Sgt William Murphy (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - SSgt Harold W Anderson (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Harold W Anderson (photo, memorial marker) Warpath Across the Pacific (1996) pages 155, 369, 382 (498th BS: 41-30315), 393 (500th BS: 41-30315) Black Sunday (2000) covers this loss Tuluvu's Air War Chapter IX by Richard Dunn 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 6 Missing |
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