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| USAAF 13th AF 42nd BG 390th BS  Brian Bennett 1982   Justin Taylan 2003 |
Pilot 1st Lt. Earl Swartzfager, O-736576 (MIA / KIA, BR) Whittier, CA Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. Robert K. Williams, O-736587 (MIA / KIA, BR) Shaker Heights, OH Navigator 2nd Lt. Kenneth R. Hough, O-674771 (MIA / KIA, BR) Ottawa, KS Engineer S/Sgt Harold F. Tague, 37111602 (MIA / KIA, BR) Salix, Iowa Radio TSgt Victor L. Koppang, 16004538 (MIA / KIA, BR) Mauston, WI Gunner SSgt Arthur A. Merzlock, 16000064 (MIA / KIA, BR) Joliet, IL Crashed January 20, 1944 at 1:35pm MACR 1788 Aircraft History Built by North American Aviation (NAA) in Inglewood. Constructors Number 96-16449. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-25C-20 Mitchell serial number 42-64570. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then overseas to the South Pacific (SoPAC). Wartime History Assigned to the 13th Air Force (13th AF), 42nd Bombardment Group (42nd BG) "The Crusaders", 390th Bombardment Squadron (390th BS). Nicknamed "Skilla". When lost engines R-2600-13 serial numbers: 42-271125 and 42-271235. Armed with ten .50 caliber machine guns makers and serial numbers unknown. Mission History On January 20, 1944 took off from Stirling Airfield piloted by 1st Lt. Earl Swartzfager as one of nine B-25s that staged staged through Torokina Airfield / Piva Airfield on Bougainville then took off again flying via the mouth of the Warangoi River and Keravat River on a bombing mission against Vunakanau Airfield near Rabaul. The weather was reported as excellent. Over the target, this B-25 was hit by anti-aircraft fire, causing severe damage to the tail control surfaces. Other aircraft in the formation observed it to suddenly nose over and turn into a vertical bank, before the nose dropped into a inverted spin and crashed into the ground. When this B-25 failed to return it was listed as Missing In Action (MIA). 1st Lt. David C. Organ statement via Missing Air Crew Report 1788 (MACR 1788) page 6: "At approximately 1335L 20 January 1944 batween Vunakanau Aridrome and the mouth of the Warangoi River, I witnessed the crash of the B-25 piloted by Lt Swartzfager. At that time I was flying about 500 yards to his rear and about 100 yards to his left. The plane suddenly nosed up and turned in a vertical bank to the right. The nose then dropped to a straight-down position and the plane continued to turn right; it had completed a 270 degree right tura and was headed straight down into the gulch when I last saw it." 1st Lt. Willard O. Johnson statement via Missing Air Crew Report 1788 (MACR 1788) page 7: "At approximately 1335L on 20 January 1944 after leaving target of Vunakanau Airdrome heading east, I witnessed Lt Swartzfager's plane-crash. I was to his right and trailing him by 100 yards, when part of his right rudder broke off. The plane then rolled over on its back, holding that position momentarily as if he had some control. The nose then went down and the plane went into an inverted spin and completed one, complete turn before hitting the trees upside down. The plane exploded upon hitting the trees and burst into flames. I was then passing him but could look back and see the huge column of black smoke coming fron the plane. 1st Lt. Otto F. Kuhl statement via Missing Air Crew Report 1788 (MACR 1788) page 8: "We were flying at tree top level crossing the target and also at the same altitude upon leaving the target. The terrain which we crossed on our retreat consisted of low lilk and ravines. After crossing the target area, we made a turn of approximately 90 degrees to the right around a hill which was to our right. As we were crossing a ravine, I glanced out of the right side window of my plane and saw a plane tumbling thru the air. The plane was about 500 feet above the lowest point of the ravine. At the first moment I saw it, the planewas in an inverted dive position, then it flattened out upside down and began a fast inverted spin to the right. Altho it was spinning flat, it settled very slowly. (Somewhat, as an sutogyro descends). I was about 1000 yaras away at the time and could see very clearly. I could see it was in an inverted position, because the vertical stabilizers were pointed downward. It appeared as though something was very wrong with the empenage. I watched it until it disappeared in the trees at the bottom of the ravine. It was still in an inverted flat spin at that time. The Location where the plane struck the ground disappegred from my field of vision at that time. I no explosion. Wreckage This B-25 crashed crashed between Warangoi Rivers and Sigut Rivers, near the bank of the lbrangoi River. Recovery of Remains Postwar, a team from American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) visited this crash site and recovered some remains of the crew that were transported to the United States for group burial. In 1982, the crash site was rediscovered during logging activity and confirmed by Brian Bennett from one of the engine serial numbers. The next year, the remains of the crew were recovered by US Army CILHI. After a long period of analysis Central Identification Laboratory (CIL) has been able to probably establish individual identifications for the entire crew, and the case was resolved in 2004. Brian Bennett adds: "An elderly lady, Fern Lord contacted me in 2004 to thank me for helping find her brother. The lab had just asked her for DNA sample. I could not place the crewman's name, but hunted it out and found that he was on B-25 42-64570. I reported the finding of this site and it was recovered for remains in 1983." Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead the day of the mission. In 1949, the recovered remains were buried in a group burial at Fort McPherson National Cemetery at section R site 46. Swartzfager has a memorial marker at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, CA at Parkview Lawn, Gate 17, Section 5, Lot 1370 next to his parents and sister's graves. Hough was individually identified in 1982 and buried at Highland Cemetery in Ottawa, KS. Tague was individually identified and on December 3, 2004 was buried is buried at Arlington National Cemetery section 66 site 1752. Merzlock was individually identified and in buried at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery at section 9 site 398. Display A section of this beautifully preserved nose art is displayed at the Kokopo Museum near Rabaul. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Earl Swartzfager NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Robert K. Williams NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Kenneth R. Hough NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Victor L. Koppang NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Arthur A. Merzlock USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-25C-20 Mitchell 42-64570 "70 (42nd BG, 390th BS) shot down by AAA from area of Vunakanau Airdrome, New Britain Jan 20, 1944. MACR 1788. All 6 crew KIA." Missing Air Crew Report 1788 (MACR 1788) created January 21, 1944 The Crusaders: A History of the 42nd Bombardment Group (1946) page 65 Kansas City Star "Vet to be put to rest, along with ID doubts" September 4, 2004 FindAGrave - 1LT Earl Swartzfager (group burial photo) FindAGrave - Earl Swartzfager (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - 2LT Robert Kirby Williams (photo, group burial photo) FindAGrave - 2LT Kenneth Robert Hough (group burial photo) FindAGrave - 2LT Kenneth Robert Hough (memorial marker) FindAGrave - SSGT Harold Fremont Tague (group burial photo) Arlington National Cemetery (ANC Explorer) - Harold Fremont Tague (grave photos) FindAGrave - SSGT Harold Tague (Arlington National Cemetery grave photo) FindAGrave - TSGT Victor L Koppang (group burial photo) FindAGrave - SSGT Arthur Andrew Merzlock (photo, group burial photo) FindAGrave - SSGT Arthur Andrew “Andy” Merzlock (grave photo) PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - B-25C Mitchell 42-64570 Bruce Hoy Diary 13 September, 1983 Associated Press (AP) "Six World War II airmen buried with full military honors." June 24, 2005 Thanks to Bruce Hoy and Brian Bennett 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 February 6, 2026 |
 B-25  Map Jan 20, 1944  MIA 6 Missing Resolved 1983–2004  Photo Archive |
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