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| USAAF 5th AF 374th TCG 33rd TCS |
Pilot 1st Lt. Walter B. Thompson (KIA, BR) West Point, NB Co-Pilot F/O Robert P. Ranges (KIA, BR) West Englewood, NJ Radio TSgt Willis Cheek (KIA, BR) New Castle, PA Assistant Radio Sgt Elwood H. Wolfsberger, 15102603 (KIA, BR) OH Engineer T/Sgt Darrell D. Loy, 17002832 (KIA, BR) Barnard, KS Crashed May 12, 1943 MACR none Aircraft History Built by Douglas Aircraft Company. Constructors Number 6012. On October 31, 1942 delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as C-47-DL Skytrain serial number 41-18651. Ferried overseas from Hamilton Field via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia arriving in January 1943. Wartime History On January 12, 1943 assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 374th Troop Carrier Group (374th TCG), 33rd Troop Carrier Squadron (33rd TCS). Nicknamed "Chattanooga Choo Choo". Australian call sign VH-CGD. Likely this aircraft had a two digit buzz number painted in yellow behind the cockpit. Mission History On May 12, 1943 at 9:30am took off from Dobodura Airfield piloted by 1st Lt. Walter B. Thompson transporting cargo bound for Port Moresby. The weather on take off was clear but likely cumulus clouds were over the Owen Stanley Range. Aboard was F/O Robert Ranges a replacement with only two weeks of service overseas. Also aboard was Sgt. Elwood H. Wolfsberger being checked out as a radio operator by T/Sgt Willis Cheek. When this aircraft failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). In fact, this C-47 crashed due to bad weather south of Kokoda in the Owen Stanley Range killing the entire crew on impact. Also lost was C-47 Skytrain 41-18661 (MIA). Search Afterwards, C-47s searched for the missing plane. During the searches, two of the search pilots: Capt. Andrew J. Graves and 1st Lt. Lamont N. Rennels each had newly discovered mountain peaks named in their honor: Mount Graves and Mount Rennels. On May 15, 1943 the crash site was spotted by W/O Sexton. Wreckage This C-47 crashed south of Kokoda on the right side of a pass [Kokoda Gap] in the Owen Stanley Range at an elevation of 6,700'. On impact, the plane snapped trees the burned and flattened on the side of a peak killing the entire crew on impact. Recovery of Remains Afterwards, the remains of the crew were recovered from the crash site. TSgt Willis Cheek was identified by his TSgt rank insignia on his uniform. The other bodies were unrecognizable with bodies scattered over a 300 yard area. Postwar, the remains of the crew were transported to the United States for permanent burial. Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead the day of the crash. Afterwards, C-47-DL Skytrain 41-18595 (VH-CCW) was nicknamed "Chattanooga Choo Choo 2nd". Thompson is buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in West Point, NB. On May 5, 1943 as a 1st Lieutenant earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) with Oak Leaf Cluster, Silver Star and Air Medal. Ranges is buried at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) at section B site 504. On August 31, 1948 Cheek was buried at Valley View Cemetery in New Castle, PA. Wolfsberger is buried at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) at section A site 317. Loy is buried at Union Valley Cemetery in Barnard, KS. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Walter B. Thompson NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Robert Ranges The Record "Son of Teaneck District Receives Wings: Ranges Becomes Staff Sergeant In Army Air Forces in Army 11 months" October 12, 1942 NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Elwood H. Wolfsberger NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Darrell D. Loy USAF Serial Number Search Results - C-47-DL 41-18651 "18651 (MSN 6012) to USAAF Oct 31, 1942 - 5th AF, Australia Jan 12, 1943. DBR May 14, 1943" Harrisburg Telegraph "50 Flights in War Area Brings Silver Star to Marysville Veteran" April 9, 1943 page 4 "Technical Sergeant Willis Cheek, 312 Myrtle avenue, Marysville, cited in news reports from 'somewhere in Australia' for gallantry in action and awarded the Silver Star as a token for his outstanding services, is 22 years old and a former resident of New Castle... Trained as a radio operator... the sergeant has been flying over the thick of the fighting in the South Pacific in an unarmed ship. Sergeant Cheek mentioned citations and indicated that an award would be made for having flown over the battle area 50 times with men wounded in battle. Presumably his crew has been carrying wounded from the South Pacific battlefields to base hospitals located in that area. The crew was also reported engaged in carrying supplies." 33rd Troop Carrier Squadron History - Aircraft Losses and Major Accidents "Date: May 12 43 Type: C-47 Location: Dobodura Cause: See remarks Disposition: Comp Loss Remarks: Believe crashed in pass The 33rd, as part of the Group, continued to fly unprecedented numbers of troops and tons of supplies to Dobodura and Wau and Bulolo, where the enemy were being gradually pushed back into Salamaua and Lae. To the Allied troops on the front lines of this sector, daily dropping missions kept them in supplies and ammunition. It was while on one of these missions that the plane, piloted by Lt. Walter B. Thompson, crashed just south of Kokoda in the heart of Owen Stanley Range on 12 May 1943. The cause of the accident, as later disclosed, was bad weather. This crash was unique in that it was the second time that an extra enlisted man was carried along as trainee. Sgt. Elwood Wolfsberger was being checked out as Radio Operator by T/Sgt Willis Cheek. The aerial engineer was T/Sgt Darrell D. Loy and the Co-Pilot was F/O Robert Ranges, a replacement with only two weeks foreign service." Diary of Sgt. Eugene H. Roberts - Personnel Dept. - 33rd Troop Carrier Squadron "14 May 1943 “Heart-breaking news :Chattanooga Choo Choo” our favorite C-47 and flagship had been 5 hrs. overdue. Left Dobodura at 9:30 A.M.. A beautiful day but probable cumuli over the Pass [Kokoda Gap] stamped out a low ceiling. My pal Sgt. Elwood Wolfsberger, Radio Operator, Tech Sgt. Willis Cheek, RO, T/Sgt D.D. Loy Crew Chief and pilot Lt. Thompson are missing. Gloom pervades the camp. 15 May 1943 Searches by planes located our crashed C-47. Burned and flattened against the side of a peak 6,7000 ft. up. No possible survivors. Poor “Woody” [Elwood Wolfsberger]. He would have to make up his mind to fly. Our best Crew Chief + Radio Operator gone. 4 June 1943 Capt. Graves [Capt. Andrew J. Graves] + Lt. Rennels [1st Lt. Lamont N. Rennels] had two mountains named after them for their search for “Chattanooga Choo Choo”. W/O Sexton found the Choo Choo. Bodies scattered over 300 yds. on the 2nd Mt. Peak on the right over the Pass. Treetops were snapped off. Cheek was recognized by his T/Sgt stripes. Bodies unrecognizable. Terrible crash." Fremont Tribune "West Point Man Reported Missing In South Pacific" May 19, 1943 page 1 Leader Telegram "New Guinea Peak Is Named After Rice Lake Flier" May 29, 1943 New Castle News "Later Report Is Sergeant Cheek Killed In Action-Sad News Received By Wife And Parents In Seventh Ward From War Department" June 10, 1943 page 12 Fremont Tribune "Lt. Thompson of West Point Is Killed In Action" June 10, 1943 page 1 The Herald News "Bergen Flier Killed By Enemy Air Fire" June 23, 1943 "Teaneck - Flight Officer Robert P. Ranges, 24, son of Mr. and Mrs. John H. [sic P.] Ranges, 1295 Alicia Avenue, West Englewood, was killed by enemy shellfire [sic, plane crash] in aerial combat [sic cargo flight] in the Southwest Pacific, it was announced last night by the War Department through the Associated Press." Fremont Tribune "1943 In Review–History In The Making December 31, 1943, page 7 "May 5–Announced First Lt. Walter B. Thompson, West Point, received DFC and air medal." New Castle News "Sgt. W. Cheek's Body To Arrive Monday- Funeral Tuesday... For Radio Man Killed May 12, 1943, At New Guinea" August 27, 1948 page 6 The Pentagon Kappa Mu Epsilon, Volume II, Number 2 Spring 1943 page 84 "Lieutenant Walter B. Thompson has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his 'extraordinary achievements' in Australia. The Nebraska Alpha Chapter is represented in the Pacific War Zone by Lieutenant Walter B. Thompson." FindAGrave - Lieut Walter Bion Thompson (grave photos) FindAGrave - FLT O Robert P Ranges (grave photo) FindAGrave - Jack Willis Cheek (photo, obituary, grave photo) FindAGrave - Sgt Elwood H Wolfsberger (grave photos) FindAGrave - Darrell D Loy (grave photos) Allied Air Transport Operations South West Pacific Area in WWII Volume Two (2006) pages 11 (causalities 12 May 1943 aircraft crashed into mountains near Dobodura [sic]), 52 (May 12, 1943 C-47 41-18651 crashed on a supply drop just south of Kokoda), 71 (41-18651 enroute from Dobodura to Port Moresby crashed in the Owen Stanley Range cause was bad weather), 85 (Thompson awards), 563 (index Thompson) The Forgotten Fifth (2007) page 103 lists C-47 41-18585 as "Chattanooga Choo Choo" [sic] Thanks to Edward Rogers for research and analysis 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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