USAAF
5th AF
345th BG
498th BS
Pilot 1st Lt. Edgar R. Cavin
Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. Elmer J. Kirkland
Crew T/Sgt Fred E. Arnett
Crew S/Sgt Lawrence Herbst
Crew T/Sgt Michael J. Chorney
Crew T/Sgt Robert E. Cross
Ditched February 15, 1944
Aircraft History
Assigned to the 345th BG in March 1943. Assigned to pilot Edgar R. Cavin and crew chief Burns. This model D-5 was converted to D-1 strafer at Townsville.
Mission
History
Hit by intense anti-aircraft fire that set the right
engine and turret tank on fire. Ditched four miles north-west
of Kavieng,
400 yards from shore. The
entire crew was rescued by PBY Catalina
08139
piloted
by Nate
Gordon which landed despite rough seas and Japanese fire. Gordon
earned the Metal of Honor for this action.
Wreckage
This aircraft has never been located.
Don Fetterly unsucessfully searched for the plane in 2001:
"I now believe after studding all the facts from that raid that 'Gremlins Holiday'
went down in deep water some 4-6 miles NNW of Kavieng. It would take
some pretty sophisticated equipment to find it. The water was quite
murky around the wrecks and we never got better visability."
References
Warpath Across The Pacific page 32, 82, 124-126, 128, 197, 381
B-25
