Pacific Wrecks - B-24D-130-CO "Weezie" Serial Number 42-41081

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B-24D-130-CO "Weezie" Serial Number 42-41081

USAAF
5th AF
22nd BG
19th BS

Former Assignments
3rd BG
90th BS

Bruce Hoy 1980s

Justin Taylan 2000

Daniel Leahy 2005

Pilot 2nd Lt Robert E. Allred, O-679012 (KIA) Fort Des Moines, IA
Co-Pilot 2nd Lt Raymond J. Geis, Jr., O-815308 (KIA) Chicago, IL
Navigator 2nd Lt Keith I. Holm, O-752491 (KIA) Evertt, WA
Passenger  S/Sgt Robert C. Thompson, 34394642 (KIA) AL
Passenger  Sgt Clint P. Butler, 6939262 (KIA) Little Rock, AR
Passenger  Sgt Stanley C. Lawrence, 20656522 (KIA) Eau Claire, WI
Passenger  Capt Charles R. Barnard, O-734785 (KIA) Wadsworth, OH
Passenger  Sgt Charles Samples Jr., 15069733 (KIA) Swithers, WV
Passenger 2nd Lt Stanley G. Gross, O-744980 (KIA) Chicago, IL
Passenger T/4 Joseph E. Kachorek, 33170120 (KIA) Milwaukee, WI
Passenger 2nd Lt Charles R. Steiner, O-749103 (KIA) Navarre, OH
Passenger Cpl Joseph B. Mettam, 39109096 (KIA) Selam Beach, CA
Passenger 2nd Lt Melvin F. Walker, O-737508 (KIA) Racine, WI
Passenger Pfc Carlin E. Loop, 37495005 (KIA) Salina, KS
Passenger 2nd Lt Emory C. Young, O-811487(KIA) Good Hope, IL
Passenger Sgt Harold T, Atkins, 19018763 (22nd BG) MT
Passenger Sgt Weldon W, Frazier, 6282510 (345th BG) Palestine, TX
Passenger SSgt Thomas Carpenter Jr, 7080836 (5 BC) Georgiana, AL
Passenger SSgt Frank Ginter, 20283103 (43rd BG) (KIA) NY
Passenger SSgt William M, Shrake, 35092402 (KIA) Mooresville, IN
Passenger SSgt John J. Staseowski, 31007362 (38th BG) Holyoke, MA
Crashed March 22, 1944
MACR 4090

Aircraft History
Constructors Number 2158.

Mission History
Took off from 7-Mile Drome on a courier flight to Nadzab Airfield. Crashed into Mount Thumb, killing all aboard: the crew of 3 and 19 passengers.

Wreckage
The crash site was discovered in the early 1980's, and reported to Bruce Hoy, then curator of the PNG Museum Modern History Department.

Remains Recovery
The site was visited in 1982 by US Army CILHI to recover the remains for identification.

Memorials
The entire crew was declared dead on March 22, 1944 and are memorialized on the 'tablets of the missing' at Manila American Cemetery.

Display
The PNG Museum has a display about this aircraft, including the tail stabilizer and artifacts recovered from the crash site displayed in the indoor gallery.

Bruce Hoy adds:
"The tail on display in Port Moresby off 42-41081 is not the original tail off that aircraft. One can still discern the original serial number under 241081 the numerals of which are not painted in the same manner as the usual military method of painting serial numbers. The entire tail unit has been replaced off another B-24, a slightly newer example. A photograph of the tail on its original aircraft taken in flight has been published in at least one book."

References
A Missing Plane deals with the history, discovery and recovery and identification of crew members from this aircraft.
Thanks to Bruce Hoy for additional information

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

Last Updated
November 2, 2009

B-24

MIA
(Resolved)

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