Date & Time:
Aug 2, 1942 at 0930 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
41-2435
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
2246
YOM:
1941
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
8
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Departed 7 Mile Aerodrome in Port Moresby on a search mission in Buna. En route, at 0915LT, the aircraft was attacked by Japanese Mitsubishi Zero. Fifteen minutes later, the aircraft went out of control and crashed southwest of Musa Point. Some of the occupants were able to bail out but only one crew member survived.
Crew (19th BG):
1st Lt William H. Watson, pilot, †
1st Lt John F. Putman, copilot, †
1st Lt James O. Etter, navigator, †
S/Sgt Robert A. Abadie, bombardier, †
T/Sgt Eugene M. Clemens, flight engineer, †
Sgt Leo T. Ranta,
Sgt Robert V. Copley, †
Cpl Philip A. Deal, air gunner, †
Sgt William H. Parker, air gunner. †
Crew (19th BG):
1st Lt William H. Watson, pilot, †
1st Lt John F. Putman, copilot, †
1st Lt James O. Etter, navigator, †
S/Sgt Robert A. Abadie, bombardier, †
T/Sgt Eugene M. Clemens, flight engineer, †
Sgt Leo T. Ranta,
Sgt Robert V. Copley, †
Cpl Philip A. Deal, air gunner, †
Sgt William H. Parker, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.
