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| USAAF 5th AF 22nd BG 33rd BS |
Pilot 1st Lt. Spears R. Lanford, O-401186 (MIA / KIA) AL Co-Pilot 2nd Lt Gerald W. McClune, O-427152 (MIA / KIA) OK Navigator 2nd Lt John T. Moore, O-434996 (MIA / KIA) SC Bombardier S/Sgt Russell R. Bradley, 6910760 (MIA / KIA) MI Radio Sgt D. A. Martin, Jr., 18010454 (MIA / KIA) TX Engineer Cpl Raymond A. Arendell, 17004405 (MIA / KIA) NE Gunner Pvt Anthony J. Petitti, 12034939 (MIA / KIA) NY Ditched May 28, 1942 MACR none Aircraft History Built by Martin in Baltimore, Maryland. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-26 Marauder serial number 40-1467. Disassembled and shipped as cargo aboard a ship from the United States to Melbourne. Reassembled by Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC). Wartime History On May 5, 1942 assigned to the 22nd Bombardment Group (22nd BG), 33rd Bombardment Squadron (33rd BS). Flown via Queensland then 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby. No nickname or nose art. Assigned to pilot 1st Lt. Spears R. Lanford. On May 21, 1942 took off from 7 Mile Drome piloted by Lt. Lanford on its first combat mission as one of five B-26 from 33rd BS on a bombing mission against Vunakanau Airfield near Rabaul. Due to bad weather over New Britain, the formation aborted to bomb Lae Airfield on the return flight. Over the target intercepted by four A6M2 Zeros from Tainan Kōkūtai (Tainan Air Group) with bomber gunners claiming they were intercepted by eight Zeros and claimed six shot down, in fact none were lost. The B-26 made a single bomb run and destroyed two bombers and a Zero on the ground plus two more Zeros extensively damaged. On May 27, 1942 a bombing mission was planned but canceled due to a Japanese air raid against 7 Mile Drome and bad weather. This bomber flew a total of three combat missions when lost. Mission History On May 28, 1942 took off from 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby piloted by 1st Lt. Spears R. Lanford as one of five B-26s on a bombing mission against Lae Airfield. Over the target, the bombers observed Zeros taking off from the airfield below and were met with accurate anti-aircraft fire. Intercepted by four A6M2 Zeros from Tainan Kōkūtai (Tainan Air Group) the bomber crews claimed were eight Zeros. This B-26 was intercepted by Zeros and hit by gunfire and observed to have the left engine on fire and ditched or crashed into into Huon Gulf roughly two miles off Lae. Credit for the shoot down was shared by A6M2 Zero pilots PO1 Saburo Sakai and Lt(jg) Jun-ichi Sasai. RAAF P/O Graham Robertson flying co-pilot with Lt. Burnside witnessed the demise of this B-26: “Over to the right, one B-26 had three Zeros on him and, at last, his engine caught fire and he turned away towards the land, with the whole of the body alight. The Zeros did not give him any rest but kept on him. ... The last we saw of [Lanford] was on the water, where he made a good landing, and we were able to distinguish, through glasses [binoculars], that some had got out onto the wing. They were a half-mile from land. We turned on the radio and wished them luck.” When this bomber failed to return, the entire crew was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA). There is no evidence that any of the survivors were captured by the Japanese. Memorials All crew members remain MIA. All were declared dead on the day of the crash. Memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-26 40-1467 "1467 (22nd BG, 33rd BS, 5th AF) shot down by A6M2 flown by PO1 Saburo Saki of Tanain Kokotai 2 mi off Lae in Huon Gulf, Morobe, Papua New Guinea May 28, 1942. All 7 crew killed." PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - B-26 40-1467 Log of P/O Graham Brindley John Robertson RAAF (412717) 1914-1942 Samurai! Autobiography of Saburo Sakai includes a sensational account of survivors eaten by sharks: "I caught a lone B-26 over Lae, and pursued the enemy plane over the sea, shooting up the fuselage and right wing. The Marauder burst into flames over the water, but before it crashed four men bailed out. Each landed safely in the sea, and, the next moment a small life raft popped up. As I circled the raft, I saw that the men clung to its sides. Since they were only about two miles from Lae Air Base, it was only a matter of time before a boat would pick them up and make them prisoner. Suddenly one of the men thrust his hands high above his head and disappeared. The others were beating fiercely at the water, and trying to get into the raft. Sharks! It seemed that there were thirty or forty of them, the fins out of the water in erratic movements all about the raft. Then the second man disappeared. I circled lower and and lower and nearly gagged as I saw the flash of teeth which closed on the arm of the third man. The lone survivor, a big bald headed man, was clinging to the raft with one hand and swinging wildly with a knife in the other. Then, he too was gone. When the men on the speedboat returned to Lae, they reported that they had found the raft empty and blood stained Not even a shred of the men was visible." Revenge of the Red Raiders (2006) pages 93-94 (May 21, 1942), 99-100 (May 28, 1942), 473 (40-1467 crew list), 500 (40-1467) Thanks to Edward Rogers 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
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