USAAF
5th AF
43rd BG
64th BS
1943 via Mark Lewis
Pilot 1st Lt. Arthur L. McMullan, O-789192 (MIA)
Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. Howard G Eberly, O-662764 (survived, later MIA/KIA)
Navigator 2nd Lt. MacJilton Sargent, O-733470 (MIA)
Radio S/S Robert L Freenan, 37066408 (MIA)
Gunner Sgt. Wayne G Sprecher, 13030648 (MIA)
Gunner Cpl. Milburn J Glanville, 19028619 (MIA)
Gunner Pfc Hermann Bender, 12032743 (MIA)
Gunner Pvt James M Grahl, 14049316 (MIA)
Passenger 2LT John M Dawson, O-724145 (survived)
Missing March 15, 1943
MACR 15667
Aircraft History
Served with 19th BG, 28th BS, transfered to 43rd BG.
Crew History
2nd Lt Howard G Eberly survived, but was later declared MIA on September 15, 1943 while flying B-17F 41-24552.
Mission History
Took off from 7-Mile Drome near Port Moresby on a mission to Wewak. On the return low on fuel, the bomber ditched at aproximately 2:30am 15-20 miles north of Buna in the sea.
Three members of the crew survived, but only two (Dawson and Eberly) are known to have reached shore. Sgt Freeman decided to allow the tide take him to shore, and he was not seen again. It is presumed the others went down with the aircraft. The crash landing took place at about 0230 hours, and it took the two survivors about 13 hours to reach the shore.
References
Arthur McMullan, Jr (son of pilot) adds:
"[McMullan] returned to the US in November
of 1942, less than four months before his plane ran out of gas. I remember him telling me that he always felt that he had a
greater chance of crashing from lack of fuel than from being shot down."
References
Pride of Seattle page 8
Thanks to Mark Lewis for wartime photo and information
B-17
MIA
