Date & Time:
Nov 20, 1943 at 2145 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
42-40886
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Port Moresby - Port Moresby
MSN:
1963
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
11
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The aircraft left Port Moresby-7 Mile Airfield at the end of the day on a reconnaissance flight over the Bismarck Sea. A last radio communication was set at 2145LT and as the aircraft failed to return, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. The wreckage and bones were found by locals on Mt Eiyawaiy, near the village of Engati, in 1982.
Crew (43rd BG):
1st Lt Richard Heuss, pilot,
2nd Lt Robert Miller, copilot,
2nd Lt Robert R. Streckenbach, navigator,
2nd Lt Edward French, bombardier,
T/Sgt Charles Bode, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Ivan O. Kirkpatrick, assistant to flight engineer,
S/Sgt Roy Suribian, radio operator,
S/Sgt William K. Musgrave, assistant to radio operator,
S/Sgt James T. Moran, air gunner,
S/Sgt James B. Moore, air gunner,
S/Sgt Lucian I. Oliver Jr., air gunner.
Crew (43rd BG):
1st Lt Richard Heuss, pilot,
2nd Lt Robert Miller, copilot,
2nd Lt Robert R. Streckenbach, navigator,
2nd Lt Edward French, bombardier,
T/Sgt Charles Bode, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Ivan O. Kirkpatrick, assistant to flight engineer,
S/Sgt Roy Suribian, radio operator,
S/Sgt William K. Musgrave, assistant to radio operator,
S/Sgt James T. Moran, air gunner,
S/Sgt James B. Moore, air gunner,
S/Sgt Lucian I. Oliver Jr., air gunner.
