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| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
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| USAAF 5th AF 90th BG 400th BS  USAAF 1942 |
Pilot 1st Lt. Donald A. Rininsland, O-724644 (MIA / KIA) Muscatine, IA Co-Pilot 1st Lt. Evan P. Hughes, O-726241 (MIA / KIA) Chattanooga, TN Crew 1st Lt. Franklin L. Peck, O-664340 (MIA / KIA) Livingston County, NY Crew 1st Lt. Lloyd A. Stuehmer, O-727679 (MIA / KIA) Dodge County, NB Crew 1st Lt. Olin J. Wimberly, O-660539 (MIA / KIA) Dade County, FL Crew TSgt Robert H. Blocker, 14064077 (MIA / KIA) Volusia County, FL Crew TSgt Alexander Kouski, 15072871 (MIA / KIA) Belmont County, OH Crew TSgt Bernard T. Kwiatkowski, 6980647 (MIA / KIA) Olean, NY Crew SSgt John F. Coston, 18040127 (MIA / KIA) Bosque County, TX Crew SSgt James F. Oliver, 39094426 (MIA / KIA) OR Crew SSgt Joe B. Pacheco, 18097009 (MIA / KIA) AZ Crashed February 12, 1943 MACR 16424 Aircraft History Built by Consolidated at San Diego. On October 6, 1942 delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24D-15-CO Liberator serial number 41-24017. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 90th Bombardment Group (90th BG), 400th Bombardment Squadron (400th BS). No known nickname or nose art. When lost, engines and weapon serial numbers not noted in Missing Air Crew Report 16424 (MACR 16424. Mission History On February 12, 1943 took off from 5 Mile Drome (Ward) near Port Moresby pilot 1st Lt. Donald A. Rininsland on an armed reconnaissance mission over Wewak. An Allied radar station tracked an unidentified aircraft, believed to be this B-24 over Buna and followed it to 50 miles off Hood Point heading southward out to sea. It was believed this B-24 failed to turn a proper course back to base and and was declared missing. Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead on January 21, 1946. All are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Rininsland earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Hughes earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Peck earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Lima, NY. Stuehmer earned the Silver Star and Purple Heart, posthumously. Wimberly earned the Silver Star and Purple Heart, posthumously. Blocker earned the Silver Star and Purple Heart, posthumously. Kouski earned the Silver Star and Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Saint Anthonys Cemetery in Blaine, OH. Kwiatkowski earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Coston earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Oliver earned the Silver Star and Purple Heart, posthumously. Pacheco earned the Silver Star and Purple Heart, posthumously. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Donald A. Rininsland NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Evan P. Hughes NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Franklin L. Peck NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Lloyd A. Stuehmer NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Olin J. Wimberly NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Robert H. Blocker NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Alexander Kouski NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - John F. Coston NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Joe B. Pacheco USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24D-15-CO Liberator 41-24017 "24017 (90th BG, 320th BS) salvaged Mar 1948" [sic MIA February 12, 1943] Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) 16424 was retroactively does not list aircraft, engine or weapon serial numbers PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - B-24D Liberator piloted by Rininsland (does not note serial number) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Donald A. Rininsland American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Evan P. Hughes American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Franklin L. Peck American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Lloyd A. Stuehmer American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Olin J. Wimberly American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Robert H. Blocker American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Alexander Kouski American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Bernard T. Kwiatkowski American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John F. Coston American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - James F. Oliver American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Joe B. Pacheco FindAGrave - 1Lt Donald A Rininsland (photo, obituary, tablets of the missing) The Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune "Missing After Battles Aborad" December 30, 1943 page 21 FindAGrave - 1LT Evan Paul Hughes (photo, tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - 1Lt Franklin LaRue Peck (photo, tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - LT Franklin LaRue Peck (photo, obituary, memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - 1Lt Lloyd A Stuehmer (photo, tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - 1Lt Olin J Wimberly (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - TSgt Robert H Blocker (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - TSgt Alexander J “Alex” Kouski (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Alexander J. “Alex” Kouski (memorial marker photo) date of death listed as January 1, 1946 [sic] FindAGrave - TSgt Bernard T Kwiatkowski (photo, tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - TSGT Bernard Thomas Kwiatkowski (photo, obituary) FindAGrave - SSgt John Fletcher Coston (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - SSgt James F Oliver (obituary, tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - SSgt Joe B Pacheco (tablets of the missing photo) Thanks to Pete Johnson for confirming the aircraft serial number 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-24  MIA 11 Missing |
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