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| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
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| USAAF 13th AF 11th BG 26th BS |
Pilot Major Allan J. Sewart, O-022430 C. O. 26th BS (MIA / KIA) TX Co-Pilot 1st Lt. Jack Lee, O-433864 (KIA, BR) Alamogordo, NM Navigator Lt. Nelson Levi (WIA) Shoshone County, ID Observer Colonel "Blondie" Saunders, C.O. 11th BG (WIA. survived) Ditched November 18, 1942 MACR 16407 Aircraft History Built by Boeing at Seattle. Constructors Number 3216. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-17F-20-BO Flying Fortress serial number 41-24531. Flown overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. Wartime History Assigned to the 13th Air Force (13th AF), 11th Bombardment Group (11th BG), 26th Bombardment Squadron (26th BS). No known nose art or nickname. Mission History On November 18, 1942 took off from Henderson Field on Guadalcanal piloted by Major Allan J. Sewart as one of five B-17s leading a bombing mission against shipping at Tonolei Harbor off southern Bougainville. Over the target, the formation was intercepted by Japanese fighters (forty fighters and floatplanes). Richard Dunn adds: "The formation also included a total of 11 B-17s, 4 B-26s (69th BS) and 8 P-38s. One flight of B-17s had bombs hang up and made a second run over Buin. One 582 pilot KIA (per Hata/Izawa) was KIA." Twice, this B-17 was attacked by fighters making head-on firing passes, concentrating on the bomber's nose. The attacks killed the pilot Sewart and mortally wounded the co-pilot Lee. Colonel Saunders, who was aboard as a passenger took the controls immediately. Damaged during the attacks, the no. 2 engine was feathered and no. 1 engine was running away and smoking. The no. 2 fuel tank was on fire. The crippled bomber was escorted by the other B-17s away from the target, and was loosing altitude but able to fly on only two engines. This B-17 managed to ditch off Baga Island (Mbava) near Vella Lavella and the crew successfully deployed their life rafts. Pilot Sewart was already dead and went down with the bomber as it sank. Fates of the Crew By the time their rafts reached shore, Lee had died and was buried on the beach at Baga Island (Mbava). Meeting friendly natives in a canoe, the crew was unable to communicate with them and they departed. When they returned three hours later, they brought coastwatcher Jack Keenan. After dark, they were moved in canoes to Paramata village on Vella Lavella and were served a meal and rested in Silas Lezatuni's house. During the night, fellow coastwatcher Henry Josselyn came down to the village to relieve Keenan. Meanwhile, Methodist nurse Merle Farland was notified of the wounded crew at 3:30am the next day. She departed immediately across the island and reached Paramata village. When she arrived, she arrived to diagnosed the wounded crew members, just as the rescuing PBY was heard. Without time to render medical treatment, the crew prepared to be rescued. Rescue The crew were rescued by a U.S. Navy (USN) PBY Catalina piloted by Lt. Charles Willis from VP-11, escorted by three F4F Wildcats. Later, Willis became an advisor to the President Eisenhower administration on aviation matters. Memorials Sewart and Lee were officially declared dead the day of the mission. Sewart earned the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC), Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) with Oak Leaf Cluster, Silver Star, Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Nelson Levi USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-17F-20-BO Flying Fortress 41-24531 Missing Air Crew Report 16407 (MACR 16407) was created retroactively and incorrectly notes the serial number as 41-21531 nor does it contain the complete crew list American Battle Monuments Commission (AMBC) - Allan J. Sewart FindAGrave - Maj Allan Jackson Sewart Jr. (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Lieut Jack Lee (grave photo) Lonley Vigil (1977) pages 112-115 Thanks to Richard Dunn and Jim Sawruk for additional information Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated
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 B-17  MIA 1 Missing |
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