Date & Time:
Sep 18, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Operator:
Registration:
41-2650
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Townsville - Townsville
MSN:
2461
YOM:
1941
Country:
Australia
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew left Garbutt Airfield in Townsville at 2300LT on September 17 on a bombing mission over Rabaul. On the return leg, the weather conditions worsened and the visibility was poor. In a last radio message, the on board operator informed ground that the crew will abandon the aircraft that crashed near Weipa. Eight crew members were rescued by the crew of a Catalina on September 20. Unfortunately, the ninth occupant was killed as his parachute did not open.
Crew (19th BG):
1st Lt Claude N. Burcky, pilot,
2nd Lt Augustin Rapisardi, copilot,
2nd Lt Donald C. Miller, bombardier,
1st Lt William F. Meenagh, navigator, †
Sgt Lloyd Chamberlain,
Pvt John Naglich,
S/Sgt Norris Reynolds,
Sgt Lawrence Johnson,
Sgt George Schmid.
Crew (19th BG):
1st Lt Claude N. Burcky, pilot,
2nd Lt Augustin Rapisardi, copilot,
2nd Lt Donald C. Miller, bombardier,
1st Lt William F. Meenagh, navigator, †
Sgt Lloyd Chamberlain,
Pvt John Naglich,
S/Sgt Norris Reynolds,
Sgt Lawrence Johnson,
Sgt George Schmid.
Probable cause:
Poor weather conditions.
