Pilot  Captain Charles R. Wolfendale
Force Landed  September 3, 1944

Crew History
Wolfendale served as group operations officer. He flew a total of 95 combat missions, until grounded by Col. Harvey who commented that: "Anyone with 95 missions ought to stay on the ground." He was later promoted to Major and rotated back to the United States, and was later killed in a B-25 accident at Eglin, Florida on a test flight in 1945.

Mission History
One of three B-25 strafer/bombers that took off from Stirling Island to search the Rabaul area for targets of opportunity. Reaching New Britain's coast, the three strafers flew low and skirting breakers along the coast and headed south-west. Recent sweeps in the same area by the Group had proved negative, and crossing Open Bay, the flight passed over Kalai Plantation.

As they peered downwards, the crews observed little there, save a wrecked wharf, derelict plantation buildings, and several beached barges which had been destroyed in previous missions. They attacked a tug boat.

This B-25 was damaged by small arms fire. One of the engines on this aircraft failed, and due to the second one over-heating, the pilot elected to make an emergency landing at Talasea. On touch down at high speed, the nose wheel tire blew out, and the nose leg collapsed, and the aircraft skidded to a halt on its nose. It was pushed off the runway, and serviseable components were later salvaged.

Wreckage
One of Papua New Guinea's better known, easily accessible and intact aircraft wrecks. Sadly, in 2006, the left outer wing was removed by scrappers, but stopped by local people.

John Curran visited the wreck in 1969:
"At one time I visited the B-25H at Talasea. It was remarkably untouched inside. I was amazed at seeing an enormous heavy cannon mounted on the underside. In the cockpit there was an A4 size card showing in graph form trajectories etc. B25H was on the top of the card. I took this card but unfortunately it has disappeared somewhere. I was surprised at how this card had remained in the cockpit since - I guess about 1944."

Cecilie Benjamin adds in 2006
"The wing hasn't been removed but cut off near the engine and lying in the grass. The aircraft no longer looks as good as it once did. We heard people were in the process of removing it when they were interrupted by local people."

Relatives
Are you a relative of a member of this aircrew? Contact Us

References
The Pacific Ghosts CD-ROM tells its complete wartime history and events of its final mission

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