Aircraft History
Built by North American as a D-10 model. Delivered to the U. S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-25D-10 Mitchell serial number 41-30315. Ferried overseas via Hawaii to Australia.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 5th Air Force. Modified into a B-25D-1 strafer by the 4th Air Depot at Garbutt Field at Townsville. Assigned to the 3rd Bombardment Group, 8th Bombardment Squadron. No known nickname or nose art.

On January 11, 1944 assigned to the 345th Bombardment Group, 498th Bombardment Squadron. Piloted by True and crew chief Russell. On April 8, 1944 transferred to the 500th Bombardment Squadron. Assigned to pilot 1st Lt. James Waggle. When lost engines R-2600-13 serial numbers left 41-29069 right 41-29151. Weapon serial numbers noted in Missing Air Crew Report 4338 (MACR 4338).

Mission History
On April 16, 1944 took off from Nadzab Airfield No. 3 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.

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 Finschhafen 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. All are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing.

Bidgood also has a memorial marker at Northview Cemetery in Dublin, GA.
Hooper also has a memorial marker at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Buena Vista, CO at block 39 lot 7 E.
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 (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)
Black Sunday covers this loss
Warpath Across the Pacific pages 155, 369, 382, 393
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
May 20, 2018