US Star Pacific Wrecks Your donation today supports the next 15 years

All Donations are100% tax deductible

$
Main Menu
Search
Forum
Reviews
People
Help
  B-24D-95-CO "Mohawk" Serial Number 42-40786  
USAAF
14th AF
308th BG
373rd BS

Click For Enlargement
September 1943

Pilot  2nd Lt. Earl B. Johnson, O-735385 (KIA) Pasadena, CA
Co-Pilot  2nd Lt. Thomas H. Chambers, O-797468 (POW) Paterson, NJ
Navigator  2nd Lt. Jack D. Quarant, O-797390 (POW) NY, NY
Bombardier  2nd Lt. Joseph R. Manella, O-734953 (POW) Milford, MA
Engineer  T/Sgt Earl S. Vann, 34305605 (POW) Murfreesboro, NC
Radio  T/Sgt Herschell R. Nelson (KIA)
Asst Engineer
 S/Sgt Abe Tractenberg, 13081374 (POW) Ashley, PA
Ball Turret/Radio  S/Sgt William L. Lambert, 33212423 (KIA) Pulaski, VA
Waist Gunner  S/Sgt Paul Cybowski, 32554616 (KIA) S. Plainfield, NJ
Tail Gunner  S/Sgt Frank D. Robbins, 37219214 (KIA) Wichita, KS

Crashed  September 15, 1943 at 14:30
MACR  2355 [ Order ]

Aircraft History
Built by Consolidated. Constructor Number 1864. Engines R-1830-43 Serial Number a) 42-86860 b) 42-86940 c) 42-86768 d) 42-86939. Aircraft was nicknamed "Mohawk".

Mission History
One of five B-24s that took off from Yangkai Airfield to bomb a cement plant north of Haiphong, near Hanoi, Indochina. While on the bomb run at 12,000', the bombers were intercepted by 50+ fighters, shooting down four of them, including this bomber.

Also lost were B-24D "Temptation" 41-24129 and B-24D "Daisy Mae" 41-24218.

Pilot Johnson was dead in cockpit, by attacks by enemy fighters. Gunner Robbins, Cybowski, Nelson and Lamber were killed by enemy fighters. The dead crew members were buried by the French officials near Haiphong, on the day of the crash.

Several of the crew bailed out including: Manella who exited the nose wheel door, Tractenberg out the bomb bay. Chambers was badly wounded.

Fates of the Crew
Several of the crew were captured and interrogated by the Japanese. The crash site and crew being interrogated was filmed by Nippon News and released on October 19, 1943 in Japan.

Quarant and Manella were initially picked up by the French and taken to a hospital at Hanoi along with Stomberg (of B-24D "Temptation" 41-24129). The crew were imprisoned in Hanoi and interrogated by the Japanese, who showed the survivors a photo of Robbins, Nelson and said he was dead.

The surviving crew members were liberated at the end of the war. Manella was hospitalized at Walter Reed Hospital and debriefed by intelligence on October 1, 1945.

Memorials
Lambert is buried at Plot C Row 0 Grave 444 at Hawaii Cemetery (Punchbowl). Cybowski is memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery.

Contribute Information
Do you have photos or additional information to add?

Last Updated
October 1, 2009

 

Tech Information
B-24

Tech Information
POW

Photos
Photo Archive

Pacific Wreck Database
Pacific Wrecks Incorporated is a non-profit charity 501(c)(3)  Donate Now
© 1995-2009
All rights reserved

Bookmark and Share