Date & Time:
Oct 5, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
41-9196
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Mareeba - Port Moresby - Mareeba
MSN:
2668
YOM:
1941
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
9
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Mareeba in Queensland and made a fuel stop at Port Moresby-Seven Mile airfield. It then continued to Rabaul on a mission to attack the Vunakanau Airfield. Upon arrival, the bomber was attacked by 11 Japanese Mitsubishi Zero and crashed, killing all nine crew members.
Crew (19th BG):
1st Lt Earl L. Hageman Jr.,
1st Lt Dale E. Hanson,
2nd Lt Angelo P. Bianco,
2nd Lt Wade H. Lowry,
S/Sgt Michael G. Adamow,
Sgt Thomas H. Jack,
Cpl Frank J. Mehock,
Pfc Thomas W. Wilzbacher,
Sgt Frank W. Plunkett, air gunner.
Crew (19th BG):
1st Lt Earl L. Hageman Jr.,
1st Lt Dale E. Hanson,
2nd Lt Angelo P. Bianco,
2nd Lt Wade H. Lowry,
S/Sgt Michael G. Adamow,
Sgt Thomas H. Jack,
Cpl Frank J. Mehock,
Pfc Thomas W. Wilzbacher,
Sgt Frank W. Plunkett, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by Japanese fighters.
