Papua New Guinea

The aircraft left Port Moresby-7 Mile Airfield in the morning and flew to Dobodura where a stock of bombs was loaded. It left Dobodura to attack the Rabaul-Vunakanau Airport. While approaching the target, the aircraft what shot down by the pilot of a Japanese fighter. All four engines were hit by bullets and the captain ordered his crew to bail out but only three crewmen were able to do so. Out of control, the aircraft went into a spin and crashed into the St George Channel, off Rabaul. All eight other occupants were killed.
Crew (43rd BG):
Maj Paul I. Williams, pilot, †
2nd Lt John S. Rippy, copilot,
M/Sgt Gordon R. Manuel, bombardier,
2nd Lt Richard U. Aguirre, navigator, †
S/Sgt Robert B. Gills Jr., flight engineer, †
Sgt Edward Driscoll, radio operator, †
Sgt Lawrence L. Rexroat, air gunner, †
Sgt Robert A. Curry,
Pfc William R. Smith, air gunner, †
Sgt Joseph F. Murray, air gunner, †
Passenger:
1st Lt Robert F. Heller. †

En route from Dobodura to Port Moresby, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low ceiling. The aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located in the Owen Stanley range, near Myola Lake, in the region of Kokoda. All five occupants were killed.
Crew (374th TCG):
2nd Lt Lorenzo R. Gower, pilot,
1st Lt Robert W. Wood, copilot,
Cpl Dominic P. Verdi, flight engineer,
Cpl James G. Hickman, radio operator,
Passenger:
Col John H. Brewer.

Took off from Cairns at 1500LT to drop supplies to coastwatchers at two locations: Aita, Bougainville (for Coastwatcher Jack Read) and Bunbun, New Ireland. Arriving at Aita at 2300LT, the drop zone was easily located with the Catalina flying at 10,000', with clear skies and no moon visible. They commenced the drop and made two left circuits, dropping two parachutes. Prior to the third drop, an impact was heard and engine revved to full power at 2320LT. The Catalina impacted trees and crashed on a ridge. Three crew members were killed while six others were rescued.
Crew (11th Squadron):
F/Lt William James Clark, pilot, †
F/O John Nigel Elmhurst Potts, copilot, †
Sgt Dudley James Ward, flight engineer, †
F/O Clifton Stuart Dunn, navigator,
Cpl John Fenwick, wireless operator and air gunner,
F/O Colin J. Twist,
Cpl Ronald Hugh Alexander Wettenhall,
Sgt Frederick Gordon Thompson,
Cpl Herbert Yates.
Source: http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/pby/A24-43.html

At 1250LT, the engines were started and the seaplane christened 'Camilla' took off from Townsville. Aboard with twenty seven passengers including 22 from the Royal Australian Air Force and 5 from the USAAF. The weather reports before departing and radio reports en route were favorable. After climbing to 2,000 feet, Camilla flew northward towards New Guinea. At 1600LT, Koch heard reports from other aircraft that Port Moresby was experiencing light rain with a ceiling of 1,000' and visibility of 2,000 yards. Despite the bad weather, he elected to proceed believing it was only localized weather that would pass. As he neared the southern coast of New Guinea clouds were increasing and he took a sun sight bearing twenty minutes off Hood Point before receiving reports that the weather was deteriorating, with a ceiling of 600' and visibility of 1,100 yards. While over Hood Point, Camilla received another weather report that conditions were improving with 1,000' ceiling and 2,000 yards visibility. Flying westward, the weather over Bootless Bay appeared to be clear, but Koch opted not to land there fearing the presence of mines and proceed toward Basilisk Light at the edge of the Basilisk Passage on Natera Reef off Port Moresby but flew into light rain showers and dense overcast. By radio, Camilla was advised to wait to land until a flare path was laid in Fairfax Harbor. While waiting, Camilla circled Basilisk Light twice at 500'. Due to fatigue from circling on instruments, Koch opted to fly to the northwest but found the weather was no better and returned to Basilisk Light, but conditions had further deteriorated and Koch opted to fly to the northwest toward Yule Island in hopes of landing there, but was unable to find the island or see the coastline due to poor weather conditions and climbed to 4,700'. Another radio message stated the flare path was still being laid. Koch ordered the crew to instruct the passengers about the possibility of an emergency landing and for everyone to don their life jackets and prepare to use the life rafts. At 1727LT, Camilla's radio operator asked Port Moresby to turn on their radio direction finding station, but it was not functioning, but a USAAF beacon was on as of 1700LT and a RAAF beacon was turned on at 1730LT. Flying eastward again, Camilla returned toward Port Moresby using the radio direction finding beacons. Radio messages stated the flare path was still being laid and weather conditions were not improving. By 1820LT, the RAAF marine section had laid a flare path on Fairfax Harbor but was having problems keeping them lit due to heavy rain. At 1855LT, Koch requested that search lights be turned on. At 1910LT, three searchlights were on converging at 4,000' and the flare path was reported as laid but visibility was nil. Due to the poor weather, Koch decided to attempt to land at sea south of Port Moresby towards the southeast towards Hood Point but the sea proved to be too rough and the landing was aborted and Camilla returned to Port Moresby using the radio beacon signals. Flying southward at 3,000' the sea was less rough and Camilla turned northward towards Port Moresby but were unable to observe the flare path, but were able to briefly see searchlights at 5 Mile Drome and 7 Mile Drome. Airborne for roughly seven hours, Camilla had only 90 gallons of fuel aboard and Koch prepared to make an emergency landing then taxi into Fairfax Harbor and radioed at 1955LT that he was going to land at sea. Flying south of Port Moresby and descending to 1,500' before landing with quarter flaps descending at 200' per minute at approximately 105 mph with the engines throttled back to a quarter power and the autopilot on. Before landing, purser Barley served cold drinks to the pilots to quench their thirst. During the descent, clouds were observed outside even at 100' altitude before the sea was visible. Before landing at altimeter reading of zero, the autopilot was disengaged and nose elevated to decease the speed further. Realizing they were still above the sea, the throttles were increased but the right engine did not immediately respond and the left engine throttle was closed as Camilla nosed down descending at 400' per minute and altitude of -30' before impacting the surface of the sea.
Crew:
Cpt Albert Aubrey Koch, pilot,
F/O Sydney William John Peak, copilot,
P/O Theo J. Phillips, radio operator, †
P/O Walter R. Bartley, purser. †
Passengers:
AC1 Alan R. Stephens, †
Sgt Ernest John Grady, †
Sgt Ernest Alfred Flanagan, †
AC1 James A. Harris, †
LAC Alfred J. Ellis, †
AC1 Vincent E. Grogan, †
Cpl Donald W. Nicholson, †
AC1 Jack S. Sherwin,
Pvt John F. Walters, †
Pfc Clyde Dobbs Jr., †
1st Lt Norman B. Slote, †
Sgt Frederick A. Burness Jr, †
T/Sgt O'Dell 14.
Source: http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/short/camilla.html

The aircraft left Rabaul-Vunakanau Airport in early morning bound for Balalae Island with an intermediate stop in Lakunai to pick up passengers. The twin engine aircraft was flying together with another Mitsubishi G4M and an escort of six Mitsubishi Zero. It left Lakunai Airfield at 0610LT and while approaching the south of the Bougainville Island, the formation was attacked by a squadron of 12 USAAF P-38. The G4M was shot down and crashed in a jungle located some 25 km north of Buin, killing all 12 occupants, among them Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto and several high rank Navy Officers who were performing an inspection of the Japanese installations in the area of the Solomon Islands.
Crew (705th Kōkūtai):
W/O Takeo Koyani, pilot,
W/O Takeo Kotani, pilot,
F/S Akiharu Ozaki, copilot,
P/O Haruo Ueda, flight engineer,
P/O Nobuo Hara, radio operator,
P/O Minoru Tanaka, air gunner,
F/S Mitsuo Ueno, air gunner,
F/S Harumasa Kobayashi, air gunner.
Passengers:
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto,
Admiral Takata,
Cdr Kurio Toibana,
Cdr Noburu Fukusaki.

The aircraft left Rabaul-Vunakanau Airport in early morning bound for Balalae Island with an intermediate stop in Lakunai to pick up passengers. The twin engine aircraft was flying together with another Mitsubishi G4M and an escort of six Mitsubishi Zero. It left Lakunai Airfield at 0610LT and while approaching the south of the Bougainville Island, the formation was attacked by a squadron of 12 USAAF P-38. The G4M was shot down and crashed into the sea off Moila Point, some 15 km southwest of Buin. Two passengers and the captain were found alive while all other occupants were killed, among them several high rank Navy Officers who were performing an inspection of the Japanese installations in the area of the Solomon Islands and were accompanying Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto.
Crew (705th Kōkūtai):
F/O Hiroshi Hayashi, pilot,
Cdr Hiroaki Tanimura 6.
Passengers:
Vice-Admiral Matome Ugaki,
Cpt Motoharu Kitamura,
Cdr Rinji Tomoro,
Cdr Kaoru Imananka,
Cdr Suteji Muroi.

The aircraft left Port Moresby-7 Mile Airfield at 1010LT on a reconnaissance mission. Four hours later, the aircraft was attacked by several Japanese Mitsubishi Zero fighters. A fuel tank near the engine number two was hit and four crew members were able to bail out before the aircraft went into a spin and crashed on the slopes of the Hong Kong mountain overlooking the Waterfall Bay, in the region of Matong village. All six crew who remained aboard were killed while all four others were later captured by Japanese soldiers. Three of them were executed and only one (S/Sgt Cascio) survived the war.
Crew (43rd BG):
1st Lt Ernest A. Naumann, pilot,
1st Lt Winslow G. Gardner, copilot, †
Sgt Albert Smith, radio operator, †
S/Sgt Paul J. Cascio Jr., radio operator,
2nd Lt Charles H. Lewis, navigator, †
T/Sgt Thomas H. Fox, flight engineer,
2nd Lt Oliver R. Alvin, bombardier, †
S/Sgt Virgil E. DeVoss, air gunner, †
Sgt Bruno R. Bukalski, air gunner, †
Pfc Charles H. Green Jr., air gunner.

During take off run from Port Moresby-7 Mile Airfield, a tyre and a rim came off from a main gear. The aircraft went out of control, veered off runway, rolled for 200 yards before coming to rest in flames and exploded. All 11 crew members were killed. Explosions were caused by three 500 lbs bombs stored in the cargo bay. A dead wallaby was later found on the runway but it was not proven if this was the cause of the accident or not. The aircraft was christened 'Blues in the Nite'.
Crew (43th BG):
Maj Kenneth D. McCullar, pilot,
2nd Lt Byron G. Andrews,
2nd Lt Blaine McCord Jr.,
2nd Lt John W. Schultz Jr.,
T/Sgt Elmer R. Hansen,
S/Sgt Philip A. Zumwalt,
Sgt Bert F. Bredemeier,
Cpl George A. Mowad,
Pvt David W. Stuckey,
S/Sgt Pierre R. O'Grady,
S/Sgt Michael J. Paz Jr.
Source:

Crashed at Port Moresby-Ward Airport in unknown circumstances. Occupant fate unknown.

On approach to Port Moresby, the pilot was forced to attempt an emergency landing for unknown reason. The aircraft made a belly landing 7 miles northeast of the airport and was damaged beyond repair. All three crewmen were rescued.