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| USAAF 5th AF 38th BG 405th BS |
Pilot Lt. Robert J. "Pappy" Henderson (survived) Co-Pilot Captain Alexander McCorkle (survived) Radio T/Sgt Jack B. Pattie, 36320822 (survived) Passenger Moore (survived) Crashed September 17, 1943 MACR none Aircraft History Built by North American Aviation (NAA). Constructors Number 87-8486. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-25D-10 Mitchell serial number 41-30321. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 38th Bombardment Group (38th BG) "Sun Setters", 405th Bombardment Squadron (405th BS). Nicknamed "The Little Gem". Assigned to pilot Watkins and crew chief Yoder. This aircraft participated in 39 flights including 23 combat missions between June 11, 1943 until September 17, 1943 when lost. Mission History On September 17, 1943 at 10:00am took off from 17 Mile Drome (Durand) near Port Moresby piloted by Lt. Robert J. "Pappy" Henderson on a check flight to qualify as a first pilot by Captain McCorkle. After the engines started, radio operator Pattie heard the emergency life raft rattling inside the compartment above him and called the pilots over the intercom, but received no reply. After take off, the B-25 climbed roughly six miles to the north when the life raft suddenly came loose from the compartment, inflated automatically and became wrapped around one of the tail vertical stabilizers. Immediately, the bomber went into a flat uncontrollable spin. In the cockpit, both pilots struggled to regain control above flat kunai grass below. Before hitting the ground, the B-25 hit a tree that caused it to straighten out and skidded for several hundred yards before it stopped in tall kunai grass. Miraculously, none were injured in the crash landing. Fates of the Crew After the crash, the crew began cutting a path into the kunai grass and worked in shifts with one man cutting with a machete and the others resting and keeping mosquitoes away. After 17 hours in the bush, they reach an Australian Army radar post where they spent the night. On September 18, 1943 the crew returned to 17 Mile Drome (Durand). Wreckage The wreckage of this bomber remained in situ until at least the early 1970s. Charles Darby adds: "The aircraft was certainly near Rogers, but further inland --- just how far I don't know. Bill Chapman told me about the aircraft and told me who would know where it was, and we drove out and found it, but we did not go to Rogers [Drome] on that day so I don't know the relationship of the crash site and the airfield." The four .50 caliber machine guns from the nose were recovered in 1974 for the PNG War Museum. It is unclear if they are still in the collection or on display. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Alexander Mc Corkle NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Jack B. Pattie USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-25D-10 Mitchell 41-30321 "30321 to NEIAF as N5-169 - missing 8-44" [sic, this entry is incorrect] B-25 Mitchell in Dutch Service lists B-25D-10 Mitchell 41-30321 as to NEIAF ad N5-169 missing 8-44 [sic, incorrect] Pacific Aircraft Wrecks (1979) page 33 (lower right) Sun Setters of the Southwest Pacific Area (2011) pages 215-216 (September 17, 1943 loss), Appendix III-15 (405th BS, 41-30321) flew 23 combat missions, last Sept 14, 1943 [sic, Sept 17, 1943], index ix-6 (Henderson), ix-8 (McCorkle), ix-9 (Moore), ix-10 (Pattie) 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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