USAAF
5th AF
22nd BG
33rd BS
January 6, 1943
Pilot Captain George F. Kahle
Co-Pilot Lt. King
Navigator Marvin L. McCrory
ENgineer Sgt. Lowe
Radio S/Sgt Harold D. Leonard
Top Turret Sgt. Smiraldo
Force Landed January 6, 1943
Mission History
At 13:30 seven 33rd BS B-26s took off from Port Moresby to attack a convoy originally spotted 50 miles south of Gasmata. Two aborted prior to crossing the Owen Stanley Mountains on the way to the target. Reaching the convoy off Lae, the five remaining B-26s attacked from 8,000' and were met my anti-aircraft fire and Zeros of the 852nd Kokutai. "Shittenengitten" led the second element of three B-26s.
This B-26 was hit by 20mm cannon fire and lost hydraulics and could not close the bomb bay doors, until the crew worked to close on side by hand. While attempting to close the other door with the remaining hydraulic pressure, but the bomb bay reopened and the landing gear dropped out. Pilot Kahle elected to force land at Milne Bay. There were no injuries to the crew when they successfully landed without gear at Turnbull Airfield.
The nose art of this aircraft was salvaged by the 22nd BG and taken back to their base at Antil Plains Airfield.
Wreckage
The nose art panel was discovered at Antil Plains and was donated to the Australian War Memorial. The rest of the aircraft was presumably stripped for parts and scrapped at Milne Bay,
References
Revenge of the Red Raiders page 165, 286, 295, 302, 434, 435, 499, 503, 517, 530, 547-548
B-26
