Aircraft History
Built by Douglas. Constructor Number 6041. Assigned to the USAAF on November 17, 1942. Assigned to the 5th AF in Australia on January 9, 1943 with RAAF tail code VH-CGN. Assigned to the 347th TCG, 33rd TCS and nicknamed "Early Delivery".

Mission History
One of three C-47s led by Lt. George Wamsley that took off from 7-Mile Drome near Port Moresby at 09:20 on a flight to Wau Airfield. This C-47 was carrying ammunition and equipment.

The flight experinced good weather to Wau arriving at 10:30, and while preparing to land during a Japanese air raid by Ki-43 Oscars and Ki-48 Lilys. Attacked by the fighters, the other two C-47 evaded the attackers and landed back at Port Moresby. This C-47 overflew the Bulolo River before turning and crashing into the jungle the south of Wau, shot down by Ki-43 Oscars of the 11th Sentai.

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 [A20-504] 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."

Memorials
Sherman and Piekutowski were officially declared dead on December 17, 1945 and are memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery.

Wreckage
The wreckage of this C-47 was discovered in August 1988 by Grant Malensek who was working as a gold prospector in the Wau area, who reported the crash site.

In 1989, the crash site was visited by US Army CILHI who recovered remains. After the recovery, the remains of the crew were buried later in 1989 at Fort Leavenworth National cemetery later in 1989.

References
Allied Air Transport Operations South West Pacific Area in WWII, Volume 2 pages 422 - 425
The Battle for Wau page 212-213, 216-222
Ki-43 'Oscar' Aces of World War 2 page 75-76
Thanks to Phil Bradley for the interview statement from Ernest Ford

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Last Updated
October 1, 2009

C-47

MIA
Resolved