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| USAAF 13th AF 42nd BG 75th BS  USAAF 1943 |
Pilot 1st Lt. Howard L. Myers, O-672174 (MIA / KIA) Modoc, IN Co-Pilot 1st Lt. Bart F. Grantham, O-675422 (MIA / KIA) Birmingham, AL Bombardier Navigator 2nd Jesse O. Braswell, O-722897 (MIA / KIA) Blue Ridge, TX Engineer Sgt Alvin C. Hanson, 19017894 (MIA / KIA) Tacoma, WA Radio Cpl John Campo, 12050651 (MIA / KIA) West New York, NJ Gunner SSgt Jack L Sullivan, 19174615 (MIA / KIA) Los Angeles, CA MIA June 5, 1944 at 11:35am MACR 5660 Aircraft History Built by North American Aviation (NAA). Constructors Number 96-16584. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-25C-25 Mitchell serial number 42-64705. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to the South Pacific (SOPAC). Wartime History Assigned to the 13th Air Force (13th AF), 42nd Bombardment Group (42nd BG) "The Crusaders", 75th Bombardment Squadron (75th BS). No known nickname or nose art. When lost, engines R-2600-13 serial numbers left 42-271374 right 43-3452. Aboard were fourteen .50 caliber machine guns makers unknown serial numbers unknown plus two .30 caliber machine guns, makers unknown serial numbers unknown. Mission History On June 5, 1944 at 11:13am took off from Stirling Airfield on a bombing mission against Rabaul. This bomber was flying in formation in the fourth element on the left wing. The weather was large frontal activity with excellent visibility except for rain or clouds. At 11:25am, the formation entered the opening between two large cumulonimbus cloud formations. The squadron leader tried to radio to the flight to turn around, as they would be unable to clear the clouds but the message was not transmitted due to a radio problem. As the formation entered the clouds, they experienced an intense updraft causing the bombers to vibrate violently at a rate of roughly 6,000' per minute. This B-25 was last seen roughly twenty miles off Mutupena Point on Bougainville. It is thought that the aircraft was caught in the same updraft and went into a tight spiral or spin from which it never recovered then crashed into the sea. When this bomber failed to return it was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA). Search Afterwards, five B-25s took off on a mission to search for this bomber, flying over the area between Torokina to Stirling to thirty miles out to sea before returning between 6:17pm to 6:41pm, with negative results. Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead the day of the mission. All are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. The entire crew earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Myers earned the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Riverside Cemetery in Losantville, IN. Grantham earned the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. Braswell earned the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart, posthumously. Hanson earned the Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart, posthumously. Campo earned the Air Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart, posthumously. Sullivan earned the Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart, posthumously. Relatives Mindy LeVeque (niece of 1st Lt. Howard L. Myers) "The picture of Howard Myers in uniform has held a prominent space on the wall of my parents house for all of my life." References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Howard L. Myers NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Bart F. Grantham NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Jesse O. Braswell NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Alvin C. Hanson NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - John Campo NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Jack L. Sullivan USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-25C-25 Mitchell 42-64705 "64705 (42nd BG) lost Jun 5, 1944. MACR 5660." Missing Air Crew Report 5660 (MACR 5660) created June 6, 1944 New Rochelle Standard-Star "Lieut. Lloyd Sp B-26 Pilot, Killed" c1943 via Harry A. Biddle via Robert Beasecker American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Howard L. Myers American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Bart F. Grantham American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Jesse O. Braswell American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Alvin C. Hanson American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John Campo American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Jack L. Sullivan FindAGrave - 1Lt Howard L Myers (photo, tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Lt Howard L. Myers (photo, memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - 1Lt Bart F Grantham (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - 2Lt Jesse O Braswell (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - SSgt Alvin C Hanson (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Sgt John Campo (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - SSgt Jack L Sullivan (tablets of the missing) 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  Map June 5, 1944  Photo Archive  MIA 6 Missing |
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