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| USAAF 5th AF 347th TCG 33rd TCS  US Army January 1943     Grant Malensek 1989 |
Pilot 1st Lt. Robert H. Schwensen, O-662180 (MIA /KIA, BR) Witchita, KS Co-Pilot 1st Lt. Henry W. Sherman, O-790598 (MIA / KIA, BR) NY Engineer Cpl Emil W. Erickson, 37160734 (MIA / KIA, BR) MN Radio Pvt Clifford J. "Bud" Fawn, 15076739 (MIA / KIA, BR) Lowis Center, OH Trainee Gunner Pfc Edward G. Piekutowski, 36238257 (MIA / KIA, BR) MI Crashed February 6, 1943 MACR 16323 Aircraft History Built by Douglas Aircraft Company. Constructor Number 6041. On November 17, 1942 delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as C-47-DL Skytrain serial number 41-38658. During October 1942 ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. Wartime History On January 9, 1943 assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 347th Troop Carrier Group (347th TCG), 33rd Troop Carrier Squadron (33rd TCS). Nicknamed "Early Delivery" painted in yellow block letters on the left side of the nose. Nose Number 642. In Australia, assigned call sign VH-CGN. Mission History On February 6, 1943 at 9:20am took off from 7-Mile Drome near Port Moresby piloted by 1st Lt. Robert H. Schwensen as one of three C-47s led by Lt. George Wamsleyon a flight bound for Wau Airfield. Aboard was a cargo of ammunition and equipment. The weather was reported as good. At 10:30am three C-47s were in the pattern to land at Wau Airfield. Meanwhile, a Japanese air raid was underway by nine Ki-48 Lilys from 45th Hiko Sentai (45th Flying Regiment) escorted by 29 Ki-43-I Oscars from 11th Hiko Sentai (11th Flying Regiment) misidentified as "Zeros". Attempting to evade the enemy planes, this C-47 was believed to be shot down by the enemy fighters in close proximity to Wau Airfield. When this C-47 failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). last seen over the Bulolo River and turned before crashing into a jungle covered hillside near Wau. Wreckage In fact, this C-47 crashed into a hillside southwest of Wau. It is unclear if the plane was shot down or crash while attempting to evade the fighters and escape the area. Everyone aboard was killed in the crash. During August 1988, the crash site was found by Canadian Grant Malensek a geologist working for CRA prospecting for gold in the Hidden Valley area near Wau. At the crash site, Malensek saw human remains and tail serial number "138658" painted in yellow. Afterwards, he created a detailed site map and instruction on how to find the plane then reported the discovery to U.S. authorities. Recovery of Remains On October 5, 1989, a team from US Army CILHI arrived at the crash site and recovered the remains of the crew. Their remains were transported to Hawaii for laboratory testing and later that year the entire crew was identified by the Department of Defense (DoD). Schwensen and Sherman were individually identified. Erickson, Fawn and Piekutowski were not individually identified. After the 1989 recovery of remains, the crew were transported to the United States for permanent burial. Memorials Schwensen was officially declared dead on December 17, 1945. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. After his remains were recovered, a rosette was added next to his name indicating he was accounted-for. Sherman was officially declared dead on December 17, 1945. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Erickson was officially declared dead on February 6, 1943. He earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Erickson is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. He also is memorialized at the Middle River Veterans Memorial in Middle River, MN. Fawn was officially declared dead on February 6, 1943. He earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Piekutowski was officially declared dead on December 17, 1945. He earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. After the recovery of remains, all five crew were transported to the United States for permanent burial. On July 21, 1989 Sherman was buried at Arlington National Cemetery at section 66, site 3444. On August 8, 1989 Erickson, Fawn and Piekutowski were buried in a group burial at Arlington National Cemetery at section 34, grave 4892. On September 1, 1989 Schwensen was buried at Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery at section 2, site 182. Relatives Merrill Joan Gerber (cousin of Henry Sherman) "My cousin, the most beautiful soldier I had ever seen, disappeared into thin air over a place called New Guinea." Read The Lost Airman: A Memoir by Merrill Joan Gerber." References USAF Serial Number Search Results - C-47-DL 41-38658 "38658 (MSN 6041) to USAAF Nov 17, 1942 - 5th AF, Australia Jan 09, 1943 - MIA Feb 07, 1943 [sic Feb 6, 1943." Missing Air Crew Report 16323 (MACR 16323) created retroactively circa 1945-1946 date of crash in error (Page 2) 4. Date: 7 Feb. 43 [sic February 6, 1943] / 5. This plane was shot down close proximity to the air strip [Wau Airfield] by enemy planes. Ernest Ford veteran 33rd Troop Carrie Squadron recalls: "In October, 2002, I met George Wamsley, former squadron leader of the 33rd TCS, 5th AF. Wamsley told Ford about his left wingman, 1/Lt. Robert H. Schwensen in C-47, 41-38658 "Early Delivery". As Wamsley and his formation were in a holding pattern, waiting to land at Wau, they were attacked by Zeros [sic Ki-43 Oscars]. Wamsley said: 'One moment Schwensen was there, the next he was gone.' What happened next was that Early Delivery made an emergency landing at Wau, just after Ford and two other C47's. They landed as the field was bombed and a Wirraway [A20-447] was destroyed. The C-47's had to take off again immediately and "Early Delivery" was shot down as it climbed away. Ford and the others kept low and survived, along with 87 Australian passengers." Diary of Sgt. Eugene H. Roberts "30 April 1943 "...Natives reported finding bones of our men in "Early Delivery" crashed 6th [February 6, 1943]. A searching party leaves tomorrow - 4 days thru the jungle northwest of Wau." Note, the bones referenced are of unknown origin, this crash site was not found until 1988. American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Robert H. Schwensen "1LT Schwensen's remains were recovered and interred at Fort Leavenworth, KS." American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Henry W. Sherman "remains recovered" American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Emil W. Erickson "remains recovered" American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Clifford J. Fawn "remains recovered" American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Edward G. Piekutowski "remains recovered" FindAGrave - Lieut Robert H Schwensen (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Robert H. Schwensen (grave photo) FindAGrave - Henry W Sherman (group burial photo) date of death incorrectly listed as Feb. 7, 1943 FindAGrave - 1Lt Henry W Sherman (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Corp Emil W. Erickson (group burial photo) FindAGrave - Cpl Emil W. Erickson (Middle River Veterans Memorial photo) FindAGrave - Pvt Clifford J. Fawn (group burial photo) FindAGrave - PFC Edward G Piekutowski (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - PFC Edward G. Piekutowski (group burial photo) PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - C-47 Dakota 41-38658 Bruce Hoy Diary 10 October 1989 " walked around to the crash‑site at 8.00am with the team still working in the cockpit area that had been turned over, revealing a portion of the aircraft's nickname, "Early -- -“ with the numeral “6” after it. (The “6” was the first digit of an aircraft construction sequence number, 642, and the position of the “6” indicates that this section of fuselage was from the right side in front of the windshield.) Further remains of two more individuals were found in this area thus accounting for all members of the crew of this aircraft. The site was determined as being cleared and resolved by 9.45am, and I together with several other personnel left for camp at 10.00am closely followed by the last remaining members of the recovery team." Allied Air Transport Operations South West Pacific Area in WWII, Volume 2 (2000) pages 422–425 The Battle for Wau (2008) pages 212-213, 216-222 Ki-43 'Oscar' Aces of World War 2 (2009) pages 75-76 The Lost Airman: A Memoir by Merrill Joan Gerber AP "Geologist finds lost U.S. warplane, crew remains" October 7, 1988 Thanks to Grant Malensek and Phil Bradley for additional information Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? 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