Pilot  1st Lt Enoch P. Burley O-66496 (KIA)
Co-Pilot  1st Lt James F. Miles O-66508 (KIA)
Crew Chief  T/Sgt Edward R. Bering 682536 (KIA)
Radio  Pvt John Kvaka, Jr. 13057826 (KIA)
Passenger  Captain Robert C. Heller (39th FS Dental Officer) (WIA / KIA)
Passenger  Cpl Virgil H. Dockery (39th FS, Dental Assistant) (KIA)
Shot Down  August 15, 1943

Aircraft History
Assigned to the USAAF on December 5 1942. Ferried overseas to Australia arriving on January 15, 1943. This aircraft was used to transport General Eichelberger from New Guinea to Rockhampton at the conclusion of the Papuan Campaign.

Mission History
Took off from Port Moresby with personnel of the 35th Fighter Command Squadron and 39th Fighter Squadron. While in the traffic pattern for Tsili Tsili Airfield, it was shot down in the Tsili Tsili area by Ki-43 Oscar led by Shigeo Nango of the 59th Sentai. Also lost is C-47 41-18668.

In the initial attack, the aircraft was set on fire, and passenger Dockery was seriously wounded in the shoulder. Attacked a second time, the pilot was killed. The pilot attempted to crash land between trees, and crashed near Tsili Tsili.

Australian troops reached the crash site about an hour later. They found Robert Heller alive, and he had sustained injuries to both legs. He was thrown clear of the wreckage when its fuel tanks exploded. He was taken to Tsili Tsili, where he was evacuated back to Port Moresby. Two hours after being admitted to the hospital there, he died.

References
References to this lost is listed in MACR 14358 for C-47 41-18668 which contains reference to this aircraft which was lost on the same date.
35th Fighter Group "Historical Resume", page 5 via Carlos Dannacher
Thanks to Edward Rogers for additional crew details
Japanese Army Air Force Aces 1937-45, page 60
Allied Air Transport Operations SWPA in WWII Vol 2, page 11, 51, 72, 79

Contribute Information