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| USAAF 5th AF 374th TCG 21st TCS Former Assignments 317th TCG 46th TCS  Bennett March 4, 2001 |
Pilot 2nd Lt. Lorenzo R. Gower, O-888514 (MIA / KIA) Nashville, TN Co-Pilot 1st Lt. Robert W. Wood, O-726057 317th TCG, 46th TCS (MIA / KIA) Miami, FL Engineer Cpl Dominic P. Verdi, 13028681 (MIA / KIA) Philadelphia, PA Radio Cpl James G. Hickman, 15074632 (MIA / KIA) Lake Milton, OH Passenger Colonel John H. Brewer, O-15514 HQ Signals & 5th Fighter Command (MIA / KIA, BR) Norwich, CT Passenger 1st Lt. Richard A. Keefer, U.S. Army 218th Field Artillery Battalion, Battery H. (KIA, BR) CA Passenger Mr. Roger W. Parkhurst, U.S. Army supply service (KIA, BR) Passenger Mr. Stewart Markell Brown, Australia (KIA, BR) Passenger Captain Francis E. Williams, VX136033 ANGAU (KIA, BR) Adelaide City, SA Passenger Papua New Guinean [name unknown], cook boy for Captain Williams (KIA, BR) Crashed May 12, 1943 MACR 15609 Aircraft History Built by Douglas Aircraft Company. Constructors Number 6022. On November 6, 1942 delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as C-47-DL Skytrain serial number 41-18661. On December 14, 1942 assigned to the 317th Troop Carrier Group (317th TCG), 46th Troop Carrier Squadron (46th TCS) with 25 hours of flight time. Ferried overseas via Hamilton Field with 25 hours of flight time. On December 14, 1942 flown via Hickam Field then across the Pacific arriving in Australia during January 1943. Wartime History On January 5, 1943 assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF). On January 12, 1943 assigned to the 374th Troop Carrier Group (374th TCG). On January 24, 1942 assigned to the 21st Troop Carrier Squadron (21st TCS). No known nickname or nose art. Buzz Number 76 in yellow. Likely, assigned an Australian call sign VH-??? (three letters unknown). When lost, the engines serial numbers are not listed in Missing Air Crew Report 15609 (MACR 15609). Mission History On May 12, 1943 took off from Dobodura Airfield piloted by 2nd Lt. Lorenzo R. Gower on a flight transporting barrels of fuel and passengers bound for Port Moresby. Co-pilot Wood was on detached service from the 317th TCG, 46th TCS. The flight crew included engineer Cpl Dominic P. Verdi and radio Cpl James G. Hickman. Six passengers were aboard including U.S. Army Col. John Brewer and 1st Lt. Richard A. Keefer, civilians Mr. Roger W. Parkhurst and Mr. Stewart Markell Brown plus Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit (ANGAU) Captain Francis E. Williams. Also aboard was a Papua New Guinean "cook boy" whose name is unknown employed by Williams. Over the Owen Stanley Range, last seen going under a cloud bank. When this C-47 failed to arrive it was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA). Also lost was C-47 "Chattanooga Choo Choo" 41-18651 (MIA). Search Afterwards, C-47s searched for the missing plane and flew over the Owen Stanley Range. In a report dated May 16, 1943, 14 ACR mentions that "the plane has been identified by pictures taken by the 21 TCS", which would indicate that the wreckage was photographed from the air. This would be consistent with a search being mounted soon afterwards. However, a memo from Headquarters. Army Air Forces dated June 26, 1946 indicates the occupants were Missing In Action and officially declared dead on May 13, 1944. On May 26, 1943 at 7:30am a search team embarked aboard C-47 that took off from 5 Mile Drome (Ward) near Port Moresby and flew over the crash site to survey potential access routes then landed at Kokoda Airfield at 8:30am. The search team was led by Lt. Kevin C. Atkinson from Australia New Guinea Administrative Unit (ANGAU) and W/O Robert L. Sexton, 33rd TCS, USAAF, plus Royal Papuan Constables Akuru and Madura. After landing at Kokoda, 30 native carriers were supplied from the labor line. On May 27, 1943 at 7:30am the search team departed following the Kokoda-Buna Road then turned off to the south via Autembo, Pirive and Managai then arrived at Doua at 2:00pm and camped as rains began for the rest of the afternoon and overnight. On May 28, 1943 at 6:30am the team continued climbing a hillside following an overgrown hunting path and was unable to see search planes flying the area and camped at 2:00pm as Lt. Atkinson and other scouted ahead then returned by 5:00pm. On May 29, 1943 departed 6:30am and continued climbing a hill reaching the summit at roughly 7,500' an hour later and were able to see search planes but their signals were not observed and descended down the other side of the hill then crossing a well defined track (likely the Abuari-Kaile Trail) to Abuari. At 1:00pm camped while Lt. Atkinson and other scouted ahead. On May 30, 1943 at 6:30am departs with half the party sent back searching for a flare dropped by a search plane that presumably marked the crash site. Meanwhile, Lt. Atkinson and others continued to the area they had scouted the previous afternoon and were able to signal a search plane that dropped a flare on the crash site. Trekking for an hour along the top of a ridge then formed a skirmish line until the crash site was found at 11:00am. Recovery of Remains On May 30, 1943 at the crash site crash site for 2 hours, 30 minutes, the search team recover the remains of the crew. Under the right wing, two bodies were found and further down the hillside another body and to the left of the wing another body that was deemed to be a "native boy who was in the plane" [Papuan youth] because he wore no shoes or shirt. Roughly 10' further up the hillside from the wing was a leg with a U.S. Army boot and to the right another body and the radios. About 30' away from the leg was the body of an Australian Army Captain Francis Edgar Williams. Elsewhere, a box with a book with the name "Capt Williams" was found. Further up the slope was another body with Technical Sergeant (TSgt) stripes. Over the roots of a tree knocked down by the crash was another body. Further up the hill 25' beyond was another body that was almost complete with the dog tag of Richard Keefer found nearby. At the top of the ridge about 50' was another body that based on the clothing was identified as Colonel John H. Brewer. The search team found eight decapitated bodies but was only able to find two heads that could not be identified. All the bodies were decomposing and the search team had to wear gas masks. Due to the difficulties of recovery, Lt. Atkinson decided to leave the bodies until they decomposed completely before attempting recovery. The team also recovered a Thompson submachine gun, .45 caliber pistol and dataplates from the engines and numbers on the propellers were noted. On May 31, 1943 the search team departed following the ridge then along the Abuari-Kaile Trail. At 11:00am to Asigara then onward to Kaile, Kaile No. 2, Kanadara and Managari then returned to Kokoda by 4:45pm. On June 1, 1943 a C-47 arrived by 10:00am and were flown from Kokoda Airfield back to 5 Mile Drome (Ward) near Port Moresby. Wreckage On May 30, 1943 the crash site was found in the Owen Stanley Range. The search team observed Buzz Number "76" on the wreckage. They believed the plane had crashed 200' below the summit of the hill impacting trees then turned to the left and crashed. The left aileron was found in a tree away from the crash. The tail section was upside down about 100' away from the rest of the crash. One engine was to the right with the carburetor embedded into a tree. Part of the right wing was found 25' up the hillside and worked at the crash site for 2 hours, 30 minutes to locate and recover the remains of the crew. On July 6, 1943 at 7:00am second search team led by W.O.II Sydney H. Yeoman, ANGAU with Lt. Abel and T/3 Ralph Seaton of U.S. Army quartermaster graves registration plus W.O. Robert L. Sexton, 33rd TCS (who was part of the first search team) plus two Royal Papuan Constables (names unknown) supported by forty carriers. The group departed Kokoda and followed the Kokoda-Buna Road then turned off to the south via Managai and Kanada then followed a trail up the ridge of an unnamed mountain where the plane crashed and camped for the night in cold rain. On July 7, 1943 the team continued the trek scaling the mountain to the summit of 8,000' by midday then down the same path cut during the first trek in May 1943. On July 8, 1943 a portion of the team trekked another two hours to the crash site and began gathering the remains and found a set of keys with the body of Parkhurts. Four of the crew were identified by articles of clothing. Also, the bodies of Parkhurts and brown were identified. The body of Williams was found and identified by a spectacle case with his name. Also identified was Col. Brewer and the Papuan cook boy. Portions of the wreckage were buried deep into the ground from the impact. The recovered remains were gathered into ground sheets marked with each name. Afterwards, the recovered remains were carried back to Kokoda. The Allied remains were flown to Port Moresby for burial. Postwar, the remains of the crew were transported to Hawaii and the United States for permanent burial. During the early 2000, the crash site was rediscovered and reported by a a tourist to the U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby who found remains and the dog tag of Brewer at the site. On March 4, 2001, a team from Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) investigative team (IE) including consultant Brian Bennett made a brief investigation of the crash site and photographed buzz number "76" in yellow and upside down tail section then departed due to an issue with the helicopter pad. Brian Bennett adds: "This aircraft has been found and partial remains and dog tag of Brewer found by a tourist and reported to the U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby. There was an initial IE sortie. I actually ended up at this site to do the aircraft identification but due to a serious helicopter problem at the time we had to abort but not before I identified the crash site as a C-47 and had photographed a nose number 76 in yellow block letters." Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead a year and a day later on May 13, 1944. All are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. During July 1943, the unnamed mountain where the plane crashed was dubbed "Williams Mountain" after Australian Army Captain Francis E. Williams by the second search team that performed the remains recovery. On July 12, 1943 the Papuan cook boy was buried at the Native Cemetery at Kokoda. Gower earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) with Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously. Wood earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Verdi earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). Hickman earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Brewer was initially buried in USAF Cemetery No. 1 (Hanuabada Cemetery) near Port Moresby. Later, later exhumed and transported to Australia then buried at Ipswich Cemetery (Ipswich USAF Cemetery Brisbane) at grave 1370 until disinterred December 16, 1947 and transported back to the United States for permanent burial. On March 5, 1948 Brewer was permanently buried at Arlington National Cemetery at section 8, site 128. On March 25, 1949 Keefer was buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery at section OSB, site 31. On June 24, 1943 Parkhurst was buried at St Mark's Church, Darling Point in Sydney. Postwar, his remains were transported to the United States and was permanently buried at Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland, OH at section 26, lot 78-0. Brown has an unknown burial presumably in his hometown in Australia. Williams is permanently buried at Bomana War Cemetery at C1. A. 1. His epitaph reads: "Govt. anthropologist of Papua 1922-41. He loved this people." Relatives Catherine Brewer (wife of Brewer) References Constance Laura Williams (wife of Williams) References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Lorenzo R. Gower NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Robert W. Wood NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Dominic P. Verdi NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - James G. Hickman WW2 Nominal Roll - Francis Edgar Williams NAA Williams, Francis Edger (NAA: B883, VX136033) (Page 7) "ANGA[U] - Ref Missing In Action (Passenger on plane ref missing)... ANGAU Ref Ro/4/4/43 now reported accidentally killed as result of aircraft 12/5/43 [May 12, 1943]." Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) - John H. Brewer (Page 12) "Deceased: 12-5-43 [May 12, 1943] Place: NG Nature of Death: Killed Accidentally" USAF Serial Number Search Results - C-47-DL Dakota 41-18661 "18661 (MSN 6022) to USAAF Nov 06, 1942 - 5th AF, Australia Jan 05, 1943 - USA Jan 11, 1945. No further reports." Missing Air Crew Report 15609 (MACR 15609) created retroactively circa 1946 ANGAU War Diary "Report of a patrol made to the Owen Stanleys for the purpose of locating and identifying a crashed plane" May 1943 PDF page 147-148 (Page 147) "The plane was a Douglas [C-47] transport No. 76. This had a board 10 personnel, the names of whom I [Lt. Atkinson, ANGAU] obtained before leaving [Port] Moresby." (Page 148) "Capt. Williams, A.N.G.A.U. was the only Australian soldier on the plane... On top of the ridge and about 50 feet from this body was found yet another body. Judging by the clothing, this was Col. Brewer of the U.S. Army." WW2 Nominal Roll - Kevin Clark Atkinson, PX161 The Sydney Morning Herald "Memorial Service" June 23, 1943 page 9 "A memorial service will be held at St. Mark's Church, Darlling Point tomorrow [June 24, 1943] for Mr. Roger W. Parkhurst of the U.S. Army supply service, who was recently killed in action in New Guinea." ANGAU Patrol Report "Special Patrol Report by S. H. Yeoman, W.O.II covering period from 6/7/43 [July 6, 1943] to 13/7/43 [July 13, 1943] Visit to scene of Douglas Troop Carrying Plane crash and to assist in identifying and bringing back bodies of crew and passengers killed." (AWM52 1/10/1/13) PDF page 65 (Page 65) "The name of the mountain is unknown to me or Capt. Champion, so for purpose of trip it was know as the Williams Mtn... The plane lay about 100 yards down from the crest of the ridge and as utterly destroyed, the wreckage being spread about over a wide area. Trees in the vicinity had been burnt and it was considered that the nine drums of benzine carried by the plane had exploded and caused the fire." WW2 Nominal Roll - Sydney Harold Yeoman, PX137 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Lorenzo R. Gower date of death listed as May 13, 1944 [sic] American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Robert W. Wood date of death listed as May 13, 1944 [sic] American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Dominic P. Verdi date of death listed as May 13, 1944 [sic] American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - James G. Hickman date of death listed as May 13, 1944 [sic] FindAGrave - 2Lt Lorenzo Ragan Gower, Jr (photo, tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - 1Lt Robert W Wood (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Corp Dominic P Verdi (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Corp James G Hickman (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Col John H Brewer (grave photos) Arlington National Cemetery (ANC Explorer) - John H. Brewer FindAGrave - Richard A Keefer (grave photo) FindAGrave - Roger W. Parkhurst (date of death listed as May 13, 1943 [sic, May 12, 1943]) CWGC - Francis Edgar Williams FindAGrave - Captain Francis Edgar Williams (Bomana) PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - C-47 41-18661 Allied Air Transport Operations South West Pacific Area in WWII Volume Two (2006) pages 11 (causalities 12 May 1943 failed to return from combat mission near Oro Bay [sic]), 51 (list Gower as a SSgt), 71 (lists loss over Oro Bay on a combat mission), 80 (Gower awards), 81 (Verdi awards), 118 (46th TCS assignment), 355 (Wood October 1942), 359 (Wood April 1943), 371 (Wood loss May 12, 1943), 381 (46th TCS assignment), 400 (41-18661), 553 (index Gower, Hickman), 565 (index Verdi), 566 (index Wood) An Anthropologist in Papua: The Photography of F.E. Williams by Michael W. Young, Julia Clark and Francis E. Williams (2001) page 54 "...weather over the Owen Stanley Range, 22 miles south of Kokoda. Francis Williams was just fifty years old. It took almost a month for his death to be officially confirmed by the American Army Command. 'It seems a pity that in war there must be accidents as well,' Constance wrote pathetically to a government official. (footnote 126) Captain Williams, his friend Elkin wrote, 'was buried in the presence of a number of the Papuan administrative officers in a military cemetery, as befits a soldier of two wars, not twenty miles from his old Papuan home..." 12 O'Clock High! Forum "Death of VX136033 T/Capt. Francis Edgar Williams." by Col Bruggy October 30, 2012 Thanks to Brian Bennett, Colin Bruggy and 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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