Date & Time: Jul 31, 1945
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
A72-66
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Pitu - Pitu
MSN:
5309
Location:
Halmahera Island
Maluku
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
9
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew departed Pitu Airfield (Morotai Island) at 0800LT to attack Japanese antiaircraft positions located in Lolobata, on the neighboring island of Halmahera. As the aircraft failed to return at the end of the day, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended three days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.
Crew (21st Squadron):
F/O Jack Bonfield Faviell,
F/O William Joseph Stubbs,
F/O Douglas Poultney Dewhurst,
W/O Bruce Vaughton Peach,
F/Sgt Neville Herbert Playford,
F/Sgt Ronald Jack Walker,
Sgt Gordon Malcolm Scott,
F/Sgt Robert William Delahunt,
F/Sgt Aubrey Edward Burgess.