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| USAAF 5th AF 22nd BG 19th BS |
Pilot 1st Lt. Duncan A. Seffern, O-431539 (KIA, BR) Waupaca County, WI Co-Pilot 1st Lt. Robert R. Hatch (KIA, BR) Wayne County, NC Bombardier 1st Lt. Lee A. Johnson (KIA, BR) Trumbull County, MO Radio Sgt Robert F. Jordan (KIA, BR) TX Passenger 2nd Lt. Charles H. Humble (KIA, BR) CA Passenger 2nd Lt. Antonio Morales, Jr. (KIA, BR) TX Passenger SSgt Peter P. McGinn (KIA, BR) IL Crashed January 10, 1943 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 40-1495. Flown overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. Wartime History During February 1942 assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 22nd Bombardment Group (22nd BG), 19th Bombardment Squadron (19th BS). Nicknamed "Diana's Demon". Assigned to pilots Maiersperger and Craft with crew chief Clark. On April 29, 1942 took off from Garbutt Field near Townsville on a ferry flight to Port Moresby arriving in the afternoon to stage for a bombing mission the next morning. On April 30, 1942 took off from 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby at 5:00am piloted by 2nd Lt. Christian I. Herron armed with 100 pound bombs along with B-26 "Dixie" 40-1496 and B-26 "Lil' Rebel" 40-1388 on a bombing mission against Lae Airfield. Arriving at dawn at 600' altitude, the bombers released their bombs over parked aircraft. Herron reported his bombs fell within 10' of the parked planes setting off explosions and fires. On the ground one bomber and four Zeros sustained shrapnel damaged, one Zeros destroyed and one Zero heavily damaged. Leaving the target, the formation was intercepted by seven A6M2 Zeros from the Tainan Kokutai but none of the B-26s were damaged and returned safely. Mission History On January 10, 1943 took off from 14 Mile Drome (Schwimmer) near Port Moresby piloted by 1st Lt. Duncan A. Seffern with co-pilot 2nd Lt. Robert R. Hatch on a flight bound for Iron Range Airfield. Aboard were two crews: Hatch's crew plus Seffern's crew, whose bomber had been commandeered by a senior officer. During take off, one of the pilots apparently accidentally retracted the flaps instead of the landing gear causing the bomber to stop climbing and begin to settle as the pilots tried to reach nearby 12 Mile Drome (Berry) but instead crashed nose first into trees on the Bomana side of the Laloki River. On impact, the bomber caught fire and destroyed an unoccupied anti-aircraft gun position. All seven crew in the front half of the bomber were killed in the crash. The eight in the rear survived the crash as the sole survivor. Afterwards, this bomber was written off and stripped for usable parts. Recovery of Remains After the crash, the remains of the dead crew members were buried in a mass grave at Bomana War Cemetery. Postwar, the crew were exhumed and transported to the United States for permanent burial. Wreckage Until at least the middle 1980s wreckage remained near Bomana. On July 14, 1980 the crash site was visited by Bruce Hoy who recovered pieces of wreckage including the instrument panel, engine cowling, tip of the fin and perspex for the PNG War Museum. Bruce Hoy adds: "I visited the crash site of this aircraft on 14 July 1980, and during that exercise, I collected most of an engine cowling, some Perspex, and the tip of the tail fin in addition to a section of the left-hand section of the instrument panel, minus instruments but including the radio call plate. With the exception of the portion of the instrument panel, all other items are or were left with the National Museum in Port Moresby. At the time I collected these items, I was unaware of the significance of the crash, as I was still in the process of compiling my crash cards and data base. Unfortunately, once I became aware it seems I never made a return visit to see what else I could retrieve." Memorials Three are buried at National Memorial Cemetery (Punchbowl). Johnson at plot B, grave 1126. Jordan plot A, grave 543. McGinn at plot A, grave 1035. The other four are buried in the United States. Seffern is buried at Little Wolf Cemetery in Manawa, WI. Hatch is buried at Raleigh National Cemetery at plot 24, grave 1311. Humble is buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery at section C, site 473. Morales is buried at San Felipe Cemetery in Del Rio, TX. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Duncan A. Seffern NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Robert R. Hatch NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Lee A. Johnson USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-26 40-1495 "1495 (22nd BG) crashed on takeoff Jan 10, 1943, Port Moresby, PNG. 7 killed, 8 survived" FindAGrave - Duncan A. Seffern (grave photos) FindAGrave - Robert R Hatch (grave photo) FindAGrave - Lee A Johnson (grave photo) FindAGrave - Sgt Robert F Jordan (grave photos) FindAGrave - Charles A Humble (grave photo) FindAGrave - Lieut Antonio Morales, Jr (grave photo) FindAGrave - Peter P McGinn (grave photo) PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - B-26 40-1495 Revenge of the Red Raiders (2006) pages 82 (April 29-30, 1942 mission), 99 (photos), 170 (photo), 477 (January 10, 1943 crash), 495 (19th BS), 516, 607 (index) Thanks to Bruce Hoy and Keith Hopper 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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