USAAF
5th AF
22nd BG
19th BS
1942
July 2, 1942
Brian Bennett 2004
Pilot 1st Lt. John F. Cooper
Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. Robert W. Hatch
Crew
Chief Clark
Force Landed August 7, 1942
Aircraft History
Assigned to the 19th BS in Hawaii in February 1942. "Dixie" was painted the left side of the nose with bomb mission markings. Also "Flying Cross".
Flown overseas by crew led by 1st Lt. John F. Cooper, arriving at Amberley near Brisbane, on March 26, 1942. First combat mission was April 6, 1942, then flew six more combat missions afterwards.
Mission History
Took off from Woodstock Airfield near Townsville bound for 7-Mile Drome near Port Moresby to stage for
the group's first combat mission planned against Lae.
Over the Coral Sea a half hour from their destination the flight encountered bad weather. This bomber and B-26 "Yankee Clipper" Serial Number 40-1521 attempted to fly above the weather, but the entire New Guinea area covered in cloud. Both bombers became separated from each other and both were lost.
This B-26 flew past Port Moresby, and belly landed in a swamp near Cape Ward Hunt. The largely intact bomber was set on fire by the crew to destroy it. They spent 28 days in the bush before reaching safety. All the crew returned to Port Moresby in an RAAF Hudson without injury.
Wreckage
The fire by the crew destroyed the cockpit section and crew compartments. Over the decades, mud buried the aircraft. Today, only the tip of the tail is exposed.
Brian Bennet reports:
"The B-26 was not much to see as mostly buried in silt after all
these years but still a great find. We had to try and get positive
evidence that the aircraft is what it was and that was to dig
for the serial number. Very hot place and millions of mosquitos."
References
Revenge of the Red Raiders pages 82, 106, 125-126, 496
B-26
