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  B-25D-1 Mitchell Serial Number 41-30529  
USAAF
5th AF
38th BG
405th BS

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5th AF August 18, 1943
Pilot  1st Lt. John Donegan (survived)
Co-Pilot  2nd Lt. Charles Peebles (WIA, survived)
Navigator  1st Lt. Victor C. Scammel (WIA, survived)
Radio/Gunner  S/Sgt Joseph Carroll (survived)
Gunner  Sgt Donald Bybee (survived)
Force Landed  August 18, 1943
MACR  none

Aircraft History
Built by North American Aviation (NAA). Constructors Number 87-8694. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-25D-15 Mitchell serial number 41-30529. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. Converted into a B-25D-1 strafer variant by the 4th Air Depot at Garbutt Field at Townsville.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 38th Bombardment Group (38th BG), 405th Bombardment Squadron (405th BS). Converted into a B-25D-1 strafer variant by the 4th Air Depot at Garbutt Field at Townsville. No nickname or nose art. The front of the nose had "The Green Dragon" squadron motif.

Mission History
On August 18, 1943 took off from 17 Mile Drome (Durand) near Port Moresby piloted by 1st Lt. John Donegan on a mission against Wewak. Damaged over the target, two of the crew were wounded. Returning to Port Moresby, force landed at 7 Mile Drome (Jackson).

Filmed from the ground after the landing, damage included a shell that impacted the cockpit canopy and shattered the top turret windows. Pilot Donegan earned the Distinguished Service Cross (DPS) for this mission.

Memorials
Bybee passed away on April 7, 1997 and buried at Warrensburg Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Warrensburg, MS.

Scammel passed away September 25, 2003. He is buried at Restland Memorial Park in Dallas, TX.

References
USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-25D-15 Mitchell 41-30529
FindAGrave - Victor C Scammel, Sr (grave photo)
FindAGrave - Donald Eugene Bybee (grave photo)
Thanks to Edward Rogers for additional information

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Last Updated
January 12, 2023

 

Tech Info
B-25

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