Aircraft History
This aircraft had RAAF tail code VH-CGN. It arrived in Australia on January 9, 1943, then was sent to Port Moresby.

Mission History
One of three C-47s that took off from Jackson Drome (7-Mile), Port Moresby at 09:20 on a routine flight to Wau. While the flight was circling Wau preparing to land, it was attacked by a number of enemy aircraft.  The other two C-47 evaded them and landed, "Early Delivery" was shot down by Zeros and went MIA.

Ernest Ford (33rd TCS) recalls:
"In October, 2002, Ford met George Wamsley, former squadron leader of the 33rd TCS, 5th AF. Wamsley told Ford about his left wingman, 1/Lt. Robert H. Schwensen in C- 47, 41-38658 "Early Delivery". As Wamsley and his formation were in a holding pattern, waiting to land at Wau, they were attacked by Zeros. Wamsley said, "One moment Schwensen was there, the next he was gone." What happened next was that Early Delivery made an emergency landing at Wau, just after Ford and two other C47's. They landed as the field was bombed - a Wirraway was destroyed. The C47's had to take off again immediately and Early Delivery was shot down as it climbed away. Ford and the two others kept low and survived, along with 87 Australian passengers."

Discovery
Discovered in August 1988 by Grant Malensek who was working in the Wau area.

MIA Recovery
Crew remains recovered by a US Army CILHI in 1989, solving this MIA case.

References
Thanks to Phil Bradley for the interview statement from Ernest Ford
Allied Air Transport Operations South West Pacific Area in WWII, Volume 2 pages 422 - 425

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