Oceania

The aircraft christened 'Yeah' left Port Moresby-Seven Mile Airfield to attack Japanese ships off Lae. Over the target, the aircraft was attacked by Japanese Mitsubishi Zero. With the left engine on fire, the pilot was able to leave the combat area but was eventually forced to ditch the aircraft 40 miles south of Salamaua. Three crew members were rescued while four others were killed.
Crew (22nd BG):
1st Lt Leonard T. Nicholson, pilot,
1st Lt Jack L. Childers, copilot,
1st Lt Norman E. Oefreese, navigator, †
Sgt Jack C. Moseley, bombardier, †
S/Sgt William M. Brown, flight engineer, †
S/Sgt Joseph P. Papp, radio operator, †
Cpl Thomas A. Moffitt, air gunner.

The aircraft christened 'So Sorry' left Port Moresby-Seven Mile Airfield to attack Lae. Over the target, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire that hit the elevator cables. The pilot was able to leave the area but was forced to attempt an emergency landing in Kukuobata, near Dobodura. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, all eight occupants were rescued, among them three were injured.
Crew (22nd BG):
Gerald J. Crosson, pilot,
McCaskey,
Johnson 5.

During the take off run, bound for Papua New Guinea, the twin engine aircraft christened 'Dumbo' swerved and went out of control. It veered off runway and came to rest in flames. While all seven crew members were injured, the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Crew:
Lt Arthur M. Hughes, pilot,
Lt Louis B. McCord, copilot,
Lt Lineberger, navigator,
Lt. Fred C. Federle, bombardier,
S/Sgt Stanley C. Kotek, flight engineer,
Sgt John H. Hargrove, radio operator,
Pfc Elliot Pasternack, air gunner.

Shortly after take off from Westport Airport, while climbing to an altitude of 4,000 feet, the propeller blades detached from the right engine. The pilot increased power on left engine and attempted to return to Westport. Unfortunately, shortly later, the aircraft stalled and crashed into the sea 7 km off shore. All four passengers drowned while the pilot was injured. The propeller blades were found on a beach in March 1943.
Crew:
Arthur C. Baines.

While overflying the Rekata Bay, near Santa Isabel Island, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea near a Japanese Naval Air Station. All five occupants were killed. The wreckage was spotted in August 1945.
Crew (3rd Squadron):
F/Sgt Norman Newall,
Sgt Albert Mahony,
Sgt Henry Downard,
F/Sgt David Newlands,
Sgt Richard Andrew.

The crew was performing a bombing mission in the region of Alotau when he was forced to attempt an emergency landing due to the explosion of the right engine. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, all eight crew members were unhurt.

The aircraft left Townsville at 0815LT bound for Port Moresby. En route, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls. While cruising at the altitude of 3,000 feet above the Hinchinbrook Island, the aircraft hit the south slope of Mt Straloch located in the south part of the island. All 12 occupants were killed. The wreckage was eventually found by locals in 1943.
Crew (90th BG):
Cpt James E. Gumaer, Jr., pilot,
2nd Lt Dewey G. Hooper, copilot,
2nd Lt David B. Lowe, navigator,
T/Sgt Waldo W. Kellner, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Walter E. Haydt, radio operator,
Passengers:
Col Carroll G. Riggs,
Lt Raymond F. Dakin,
Cpt Carl H. Silber,
Cpt Peter E. Kiple,
Lt John E. Cooper, Jr.,
Robert C. Trevithick,
Tec Michael M. Goldstop.

While on a training mission at Norwood airbase, the aircraft collided with another RNZAF Airspeed AS.10 Oxford registered NZ1286 with two pilots on board. Following the collision, the second aircraft landed safely at Norwood Airport while the first aircraft crashed near the airfield. A crew member was seriously injured while both other occupants were killed. The exact circumstances of the collision remains unknown.
Crew (1st SFTS):
F/O Cyril Henderson, †
LAC Eric Broadhurst. †

The crew was engaged in a training mission in the vicinity of Whenuapai AFB. At the end of the program, the captain decided to overfly the airbase at low height. The twin engine aircraft was too low and hit a hangar before crashing into flames. All four crew members were killed but no one in the hangar was hurt.
Crew (1st Squadron):
F/L Graham Hamlin,
P/O Ian McGregor,
Cpl John Barraclough,
AC1 James Mitchell.

The aircraft left Port Moresby-Schwimmer Aerodrome at 1015LT to attack the Buna Airfield. En route, weather conditions worsened and the aircraft disappeared above the Kokoda mountains shrouded in clouds. No trace of the aircraft christened 'Fury' nor the crew was found.
Crew (22nd BG):
1st Lt Franklin J. Anderson, pilot,
Sgt William Llewellyn Scanlan, copilot,
2nd Lt Sidney H. Willoughby, navigator,
1st Lt Edward H. Hansen, bombardier,
Sgt John H. McLean, flight engineer,
T/Sgt Thomas R. Powell, radio operator,
S/Sgt George W. Whitley Jr., air gunner.