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| USAAF 5th AF 38th BG 823rd BS  38th BG c1943  38th BG Nov 3, 1943 |
Pilot F/O Richard Smith, T-186554 (MIA / KIA) Erie County, NY Co-Pilot F/O Otis T. Newland, T-000346 (MIA / KIA) Lone Oak, TX Navigator 2nd Lt. Robert D. Chapin, Jr., O-671281 (MIA / KIA January 25, 1944) Hartford County, CT Radio Sgt Theodore Anagnos, 32503485 (MIA / KIA) Wayne County, MI Gunner Sgt Johnnie R. Boykin, 18121719 (MIA / KIA) Swenson, TX Ditched November 3, 1943 at 9:40am MACR 1087 Aircraft History Built by North American Aviation (NAA). Constructors Number 96-17029. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-25G-5 Mitchell serial number 42-64850. 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", 823rd Bombardment Squadron (823rd BS) "The Terrible Tigers". No known nose art or nickname. The nose had the squadron motif on the nose with a yellow lower edge on both sides of the tail. Also known as "850" for the last three digits of the serial number. When lost, engines R-2600-13 serial numbers (left) 43-23362 and (right) 42-77629. When lost, armed with 75mm cannon M4 maker unknown serial number 701, Browning .50 caliber machine guns (fixed) makers unknown serial numbers 162237, 469001, 746346, 378073 and 116501, other serial numbers unknown. Browning .30 caliber machine guns (fixed) maker unknown serial number 39853. Thompson sub-machine gun serial number 360594. Mission History On November 3, 1943 at 7:13am took off from 17 Mile Drome (Durand) near Port Moresby piloted by F/O Richard Smith as one of nine B-25s (Mission 306 H) to attack barges, buildings and hideouts between Alexishafen to Bogadjim. This B-25 was flying in the first flight, no. 3, left wing position of flight leader Captain William D. Brandon. Over Nadzab at 3,500' rendezvoused with escorting P-47D Thunderbolts. The weather was reported as good visibility over the target areas. The three fights of three aircraft started the sweep at Odrobeg village two and a half miles north of Alexishafen and searched along the north coast of New Guinea south to Bogadjim. At 9:40am, ditched into the Astrolabe Bay roughly 3/4 of a mile offshore between Bili Bili the north coast of New Guinea and Bil Bil Island (Bili Bili Island) to the south of Madang. This bomber was observed to strike the water, bounce twice then sink immediately. The cause of th crash was unknown, but other crews believed it might have been hit by anti-aircraft fire and lost power to the engines. Fates of the Crew Immediately after the crash, this B-25 was observed to sink and the flight leader Captain William D. Brandon's crew dropped a life raft, but it sank. The entire crew was observed and managed to safely board the life raft from their B-25 and were last seen making their way towards Bili Bili. Afterwards, the crew was never seen again and their ultimate fate is unknown. To this day, the entire crew remains listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Possibly, the entire crew was all captured by the Japanese Army and became Prisoners Of War (POW). All were executed or died in captivity. and it was not uncommon for Allied POWs captured in forward areas or who were executed not to be reported officially. Chapin was listed as an official Prisoners Of War (POW). On January 25, 1944 he was reported as dead and likely was executed or otherwise died in captivity. He remains listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Search During the night, a Catalina flying boat attempted to reach the vicinity of the crash but was unable to reach the area due to bad weather. No other specific search was conducted for this downed crew. Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead on December 15, 1945. Each of the crew earned the Air Medal, Purple Heart, posthumously. All are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Richard Smith NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Otis T. Newland The Men and Women in World War II from Hunt County page 174 [PDF] (Page 174) "Newland, Otis, J. [sic T.], son of Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Newland of Lone Oak here attended school. Entered the Army Air Corps, April 1941, transferred from Medical Corps and commissioned January 4, 1943, after pilot training, attended B-25 squadron in Pacific and shot down off New Guinea coast on Nov. 3, 1943. Listed as missing in action." NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Robert D. Chapin, Jr. NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Theodore Anagnos NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Johnnie R. Boykin USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-25G-5 Mitchell 42-64850 "64850 (38th BG, 823rd BS) damaged by AAA and crashed into water offshore S of Madang, New Guinea Nov 3, 1943. MACR 1087. Crew entered dinghy and paddled ashore." NARA World War II Prisoners of War Data File does not list Smith, Newland, Anagnos on Boykin but this was not uncommon for Allied POWs captured in forward areas or who were executed. NARA World War II Prisoners of War Data File - Robert D. Chapin date of report January 25, 1944 died as Prisoner Of War ATIS Bull. No. 726 (Item 9017) via Richard Dunn "Enemy Air Activities. Madang, Alexishafen Sector. "3 Nov - 18 B-25s, 8 P-40s and 19 P-43s [sic P-47s] strafed and bombed Alexishafen and North Island. Battle results: 5 B-25s shot down. 5 POW captured." Missing Air Crew Report 1087 (MACR 1087) created November 4, 1943 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Richard Smith American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Otis T. Newland American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Robert D. Chapin, Jr. American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Theodore Anagnos American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Johnnie R. Boykin FindAGrave - FltOff Richard Smith (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - FltOff Otis Terrell Newland (photo, tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - 2LT Robert D Chapin, Jr (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Sgt Theodore Anagnos (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Sgt Johnnie R Boykin (tablets of the missing photo) Death At Amron (2005) by Walt Deas mentions this loss Sun Setters of the Southwest Pacific Area (2011) pages 243-244, AII-6 History, at Random "The Missing Photos: Photographic Images in Missing Aircrew Reports" (2017) by Michael Moskow via Wayback Machine March 30, 2018 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  Photo Archive  MIA 5 Missing |
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