USAAF
5th AF
19th BG
30th BS
Pilot Lt. Holdridge
Bottom Turret Ralph Deitz
Crew Remaining crew unknown
Crashed July 13, 1942
Mission History
Based at Cloncurry, this bomber staged through Horn Island for a bombing mission against Lae. After take off at night around 2:30am, it crashed into the sea 300-400m ofshore from the island, the right wing breaking off fro the fuselage and ripping a hole into the bomber. Two were KIA in the crash. Two minutes later, B-17E 41-2655 also crashes.
Wreckage
Wreckage remains underwater off the island. Crewmember Ralph Deltz and his wife visited Horn in 1997. With the help of resident and author Vanessa Seekee the survivor revistied the crash site of the bomber, and removed a small relic from the bomber.
References
Horn Island page 197-198
B-17
