B-17E Serial Number 41-2446

B-17E Serial Number 41-2446 (aka 'The Swamp Ghost')

USAAF
7th BG
22nd BS
US Navy Task Force

1942

October 1972

Charles Darby 1974

Jack Mierzejewski 1976

Bruce Hoy 1986

John Douglas 1996

Justin Taylan 2003

May 2006

Richard Leahy 2006

Pilot  Captain Frederick 'Fred' C. Eaton, Jr., 0395142
Co-Pilot  Captain Henry M. "Hotfoot" Harlow, 0398714
Navigator  1st Lt. George B. Munroe, Jr., 0412187
Bombardier  Sgt. Richard E. Oliver, 6578837
Engineer  T/ Sgt. Clarence A. LeMieux, 6558901
Radio/Gunner  Sgt . Howard A. Sorensen, 6581180
Waist Gunner  Sgt William E. Schwartz, 6913702
Waist Gunner  T/Sgt Russell Crawford, 6851455
Tail Gunner  S Sgt. John V. Hall, 6710161
Force Landed  February 23, 1942

Aircraft History
Accepted into the US Army from factory from the Boeing's Seattle factory on December 6, 1941 and flown to Fort Douglas, Utah by Lt. John Haig. Then, to Sacramento Air Depot for armament installation. Assigned to pilot Fred Eaton, it was flown from California to Hawaii on December 17th, first to Hickam Field and Wheeler Field where the bomber was attached to the US Navy. The original bombardier, Sgt. J. J. Trelia was sick, and Richard Oliver joined the crew.

Overseas Ferry Flight
Took off on February 11, 1942 for Australia as part of A flight under Major Carmichael flying first to Christmas Island. The next day, it flew eight hours to Canton Island, then to Fiji. Their stay in Fiji was delayed one day while the loyalties of the Vichy French in New Caledonia were ascertained. Once considered safe, they transited through Plaine Des Gaiacs, and flew to Australia, arriving at Garbutt Airfield, near Townsville on February 20, 1942. Garbutt was considered an easy target for Japanese bombers, so this bomber was dispersed to Cloncurry. The next day it was recalled to Garbutt, for a raid on Rabaul, its first and only combat mission.

Mission History
Part of a planned nine bomber raid, this aircraft took off from Garbutt Airfield, late on the night February 22 to bomb shipping in Rabaul at Simpson Harbor at dawn the next morning, and return via Port Moresby's 7-Mile Drome to refuel before returning to Garbutt Airfield. Only five B-17s made it to Rabaul, the other aborted.

Over the target, Eaton's bomber had to make a second pass, due to a problem with its bomb bay, but finally dropped onto a freighter of 10,000 tons. On this second run, an anti-aircraft shell that passed thru the right wing without exploding. Results of the bombing were hard to observe due to clouds.

Off the target, the bomber was intercepted by fighters over Rabaul, and maneuvered to escape them. The tail gunner claimed one Zero, shot down at 24,000 feet after firing burst of 400 rounds from a range of 200-300 yards. Waist gunner Crawford, claimed two more. Their plane was hit by the attacker's 7.7mm and 20mm fire.

After the battle, they flew as far as the north coast of New Guinea, before running short on fuel. Eaton force landed in a kunai field with the wheels up. He thought it was was dry ground, but actually it was a swamp. As the bomber touched down, it turned slightly, pointing the nose of the bomber slightly SE, at 183 degree heading.

The crew walked away from the crash site, and with the assistance of local villagers, and Australian Resident Magistrate, Alan Champion. They arrived by boat back at Port Moresby on April 1, 1942, 36 days after the crash, and returned to combat. [ Learn more about the crew ]

Discovery & "Swamp Ghost"
Rediscovered in 1972, during an RAAF helicopter exercise in New Guinea. "The Swamp Ghost" nickname was coined by media articles and visitors gave this wreck. (It is not the aircraft's wartime nickname.) The plane is nearly impossible to locate during the 'wet season', due to the high kunai grass and swamp around, and is half submerged in swamp water. Few visitors and no grass fires have have kept the plane in excellent condition.

Condition of Wreck site
In 1975 the plane was still in incredible condition. All its interior equipment was pre-WWII Air Corps issue. Even the belted .50 Caliber ammunition were manufactured in 1933, 1935 and an occasional 1938 round. Airframe corrosion was negligible and no damage aside from bent propellers during crash landing, and some broken perspex glass. Charles Darby visited the bomber on October 22, 1974. Radios, compasses were still in place and depicted in the book Pacific Aircraft Wrecks.

Recovery of Relics From Wreck
After rediscovery, visitors to the wreck removed instruments, guns and ammunition. Sometime after 1974, the instruments and flight yokes were removed. All of the machine guns were removed by Australians in 1972 visit. One 50 cal machine gun is displayed at the PNG Museum.

An International Icon
The wreck appeared in National Geographic Magazine (March 1992, page 68-69). Also, in many books and magazine articles, and has been visited by people by foot and helicopter.

Travis Air Force Base
From 1985-1987, a group from Travis Air Force Base wanted to recover the wreck and bring it back to the United States for restoration to flying status (but the plane would be permanently grounded). They presented a plan that included restoring several planes for the PNG Museum. Their plan was eventually rejected by the museum and their effort stalled.

Talichet / Hagen Proposal
Later, in the 1990s, Alfred Hagen began negotiating on behalf of David Talichet / MARC for the right to salvage the wreck in exchange for $100,000 USD. The museum issued a permit in 1999 that expired in five years. Talichet lost interest in the project after more stalls and delays. Alone, Hagen continued with the proposal No action was taken on the permit, and it expired without any salvage undertaken.

In 2003, Robert Greinert advised the PNG Museum's Board of Trustees that the wreck was falling apart and needed to be salvaged. Hagen did not have input or involvement with the reports production, but did fund the visit to the aircraft by Greinert and others on November 21, 2003. The 1999 export permit had expired, but this permit had an automatic renewal clause in the contract.

Salvage
Hagen and Greinert, along with a salvage team from America and Australia began the salvage of the wreck in late April / early May 2006. They removed the wings, engines and stabilizers of the bomber on the ground. With a hired MI-8 helicopter, they were flown down to the coast, and loaded aboard a barge, then shipped to Lae.

Unfolding Story
Heavily reported in PNG Newspapers, news of the salvage and the bomber's arrival at Lae quickly spread, and controversy about its salvage and future plans. The Bendix turret machine guns, still present in the wreck, were seized. The wreck's export was hauled for further review, and presently remains on the docks at Lae.

Contribute Information
Seeking any info or relatives of: John V. Hall & Howard Sorensen

B-17