USAAF
5th AF
312th
BG
388th BS
D
Pennefather 1973
James Elum 2007
Pilot Lt.
Billy B. Hollingshead, O-663730 (MIA/KIA) Baird, TX
Gunner Sgt Leonard
H. Tilder (MIA/KIA) FL
Crashed June 29, 1944
Pilot History
Hollingshead flew a total of 37 combat missions. Previously flown
B-24's and P-40's. He earned the Silver Star, Air Medal, Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster.
Mission History
Took off from Nadzab Airfield on a mission against Wewak.
Flew into heavy clouds and a rain squall minutes after take off
and crashed
near
Kaiapit.
Wreckage
A Papua New Guinean man named Lainisan discovered the wreckage while pig
hunting in May 1973. He reported the discovery to Kiap (Patrol Officer) Dave
Pennefather, bringing a piece of the instrument panel and some 50 caliber bullets
as evidence.
Recovery of Remains
On Tuesday May 22, 1973, David Pennefather and a group of seven locals
visited the site. Later, the remains were recovered by the US
Army CILHI.
David Pennefather add:
"At that time I was a Patrol Officer based at Kaiapit. I have before me the report I submitted to the District Commissioner advising him of the discovery. The introduction to the report that I wrote is significant. It reads as follows: 'For about the past ten days I have been hearing reports of an aircraft crashed in the mountains North of Kaiapit Station. On Monday 14th May 1973 I sent two natives who knew the wreck to go and bring me back some form of identification. On the 17th May 1973 Councilor AMU of Samaran village and another Samaran man: Lainisan, delivered to me an aircraft instrument of American manufacture, a quantity of .50 cal bullets and half a human skull, all found in the wreckage. Lainisan, myself and six other natives walked into the wrecksite on Tuesday 22nd May 1973.
While at the crash site I recovered the remains of both men. Hollingshead is buried near Abileen, Texas. To the best of my knowledge no next of kin could be found for Tilden - this may be incorrect. I think Tilden was from Florida. In 1979 I had the pleasure to stay with Hollingshead's family in Texas and visit his grave. Such nice people. This wreck site was again visited by a US Army team from CILHI in Hawaii. The locals told them about it and human remains. The Americans were pretty pissed off when they got back having found nothing and then discovering that I had been there 10 years before. It is not an easy walk."
Brian Bennett adds:
"I was
in the area some years ago with JPAC on my investigation to hunt a P-40 that is missing a bit further inland. We got put on to this site that 'no one had been to. As we headed out towards the LZ at the comunications tower I had a feeling that we were being led to the Hollingshead site. A local came out of the bush with a engine panel. It turned out that there was a huge fight going on over this piece of land between two clans. This is the same site that that bunch of Americans from the Midwest had been to with no research and had said they had a MIA site."
James K. Elum visited on December 22, 2007:
"Aircraft remains scattered. Much of the aircraft is destroyed by erosion and landslides. What still remains is half the body (including wings and cockpit), two engines, parts of the wing, one propeller (buried) bombs and guns."
Memorials
Both crew members are memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery. Hollingshead is buried near Abileen, Texas.
References
Thanks to David Pennefather, Brian Bennett and John Douglas for additional information
A-20
MIA
Resolved
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