B-24D Liberator

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B-24D Liberator Serial Number ?

USAAF
5th AF
90th BG
321st BS

Pilot  1st Lt. George M. Rose, O-431163 (MIA/KIA) UT
Co-Pilot  2nd Lt. Lloyd N. Hakeman, O-728073 (MIA/KIA) Iowa
Navigator  2nd Lt. John D. Conway, O-726878 (MIA/KIA) IL
Engineer  2nd Lt. James M. Cunningham, Jr., O-733410 (MIA/KIA) OK
Radio  S/Sgt Thomas J. DeHaven, 33087615 (MIA/KIA)
Nose Gunner  T/Sgt Harold L. Speith, Jr., 13023199 (MIA/KIA) DC
Engineer  Sgt Edward B. Everett, 13036413 (MIA/KIA) VA
Gunner  Sgt Charles V. Purpura, 14025954 (MIA/KIA) FL
Gunner  Pvt Norval J. Ball, 35258793 (MIA/KIA) IN
Tail Gunner  Pfc Joseph D. McGrath, 11047465 (MIA/KIA) MA
MIA  January 6, 1943
MACR ?

Aircraft History
This aircraft was likely B-24D "Wilco" Serial Number 41-23773.

Mission History
Took off from 5-Mile (Ward's Drome) at 18:15 hours to search for B-17F 41-24458 that Brigadier General Walker was aboard after it failed to return from a mission to Rabaul. This aircraft is believed to have disappeared in the Solomon Sea area.

Justin Taylan adds:
"I researched the 582nd Kokutai at the Tokyo Defense Archives. There is the record of an interception and shoot down of a single B-24 over Wide Bay at 10:15am by the 2nd Chutai."

The entire crew was officially declared dead on December 14, 1945. All are memorialized on the 'Tablets of the Missing' at Manila American Cemetery.

References
Kodochosho, 582nd Kokutai, January 6, 1943
Thanks to Minoru Kamada for Kodochosho translation

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Last Updated
October 1, 2009

B-24

MIA

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