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  B-25D-25 "Charmin' Lady" Serial Number 42-87444  
USAAF
5th AF
71st TRG
17th TRS

Pilot  Lt. Frederic E. Kluth, O-760869 (WIA / KIA, BR) WI
Co-Pilot  Lt. Young (WIA / KIA)
Engineer  Sgt Harold Ford (survived)
Navigator  Sgt John Hawk, 16186535 (KIA, BR) MI
Tail Gunner  Sgt Peter Eliot Rice, 16056440 (KIA, BR) WI
Crashed  May 18, 1945
MACR  14458

Aircraft History
Built by North American Aviation (NAA). Constructors Number 100-23612. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-25D-25 Mitchell serial number 42-87444. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA).

Wartime History
Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group (71st TRG), 17th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (17th TRS). Nicknamed "Charmin' Lady" with a seated woman on the right side of the nose.

On May 10, 1945 this B-25 flew a combat mission against Formosa (Taiwan).

Mission History
On May 18, 1945 took off from Lingayen Airfield piloted by Lt. Frederic E. Kluth on a ground attack mission against targets near Divisoria in the Cagayan Valley. A bomb hung up on its first pass, requiring it to make another run. At low level it was hit by ground fire, setting the right engine on fire and cause the bomber to crash. On impact, the B-25 broke into two pieces over a long debris field. Other B-25s dropped supplies on the crash site, and observed several members of the crew alive or wounded on the ground.

Amazingly, the engineer, Sgt Harold Ford survived the crash and gave morphine and assistance to the two wounded pilots. Soon after the crash, Filipino guerrillas located the crash and assisted the survivors, removing them in makeshift stretchers to the safety of hills and got more medical attention. The two pilots died of their wounds the next morning. Ford was behind enemy lines and reached U.S. Army rangers who assisted him back to Lingayen Airfield five days later.

Memorials
The three killed in the crash were officially declared dead the day of the mission. Afterwards, their remains were recovered and transported to Manila for permanent burial.

Kluth earned the Silver Star, Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart, posthumously. He is buried at Manila American Cemetery at plot D row 15 grave 29.

Hawk earned the Silver Star, Air Medal, Purple Heart, posthumously. He is buried at Manila American Cemetery at plot A row 7 grave 89.

Rice earned the earned the Silver Star, Air Medal, Purple Heart, posthumously. He is buried at Manila American Cemetery at plot L row 15 grave 78.

References
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - John Hawk
USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-25D-25 Mitchell 42-87444
"87444 (71st BG) lost May 18, 1945, SW Pacific."
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Frederic E. Kluth
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John Hawk
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Peter Eliot Rice
FindAGrave - 1Lt Frederic Edward Kluth (photo, grave photo)
FindAGrave - SSgt John Hawk
FindAGrave - SSGT Peter Eliot Rice
Combat Recon (2007) pages 118-119

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Last Updated
January 11, 2023

 

Tech Info
B-25
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