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| USAAF 13th AF 5th BG 31st BS |
Pilot Captain Andrew J. Hughes, O-663916 (MIA / KIA) Moriarty, NM Co-Pilot 1st Lt. Ashley F. Pritchard, O-736350 (MIA / KIA) Washington County, NY Navigator 1st Lt. Claude C. Talley, Jr., O-667451 (MIA / KIA) TN Navigator-Observer 2nd Lt. Orval G. McBride, O-683267 (MIA / KIA) MT Bombardier 1st Lt. Lawrence Lipps, O-730801 (MIA / KIA) NY, NY Engineer T/Sgt William J. Lilley, 19096201 (MIA / KIA) WA Asst Engineer S/Sgt Albert R. Harmon, 14073998 (MIA / KIA) NC Radio T/Sgt Norman J. Fritz, 31067096 (MIA / KIA) CT Asst Radio S/Sgt Kristjan T. Vivatson, 37291830 (MIA / KIA) ND Gunner S/Sgt Charles M. Higgs, 34350913 (MIA / KIA) GA Gunner S/Sgt William C. Trout, 13043012 (MIA / KIA) MD MIA December 4, 1943 at 10:00am MACR 1253 Aircraft History Built by Consolidated at San Diego. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24D-80-CO Liberator serial number 42-40636. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field to the South Pacific (SoPAC). Wartime History Assigned to the 13th Air Force, 5th Bombardment Group, 31st Bombardment Squadron. No known nickname or nose art. Also known as #636 for the last three digits of the serial number. When lost, engines R-1830-43 serial numbers a) 42-40636 b) 42-63042 c) 42-62925 d) 42-62909. Weapon serial numbers not listed in Missing Air Crew Report 1253 (MACR 1253). Mission History On December 4, 1943 took off from Carney Field on Guadalcanal piloted by Captain Andrew J. Hughes on a bombing mission against a supply area at Chabai on northwest Bougainville. The weather was scattered clouds at 4-5,000'. On the way to the target, Hughes indicated he might have some mechanical difficulty and began to emit smoke from the no. 1 and no. 4 engines, and fell behind the formation, but then the smoke ceased and appeared to rejoin the formation. By the time the bomber returned to the formation, they started their bomb run, and experienced accurate anti-aircraft fire. Another B-24 crew reported that this bomber was hit between the cockpit and #2 engine, smoked and caused it to dive to the left of the formation. Two crew were seen to parachute from the bomber when it initially hit and went into the dive. One landed south of Chabai, the other in the Chabai area. The B-24 leveled out over Bonis, and was now emitting gray smoke from either the #2 engine or fuselage but no fire was seen. Four or five more crew bailed out. One landed on the northern shore the others in the sea. The B-24 headed over the sea and went into a vertical dive and crashed nose first, two miles off the northern coast of Bougainville at roughly Lat 5° 23' S Long 154° 47' E. Search Other B-24s from the mission circled the crash site, but could see no sign of life or signals. When the formation leader B-24s landed at Munda Airfield, they coordinated a search mission by two PBY Catalinas to searched the crash area, but made no sightings. The next day, two B-24s from the 31st BS also search, but found nothing. They flew the following route: past Savo Island, to the Manning Straight and up the north coast of Choiseul, then over the north-east coast of Bougainville. Circled crash area twice at 40-100' then returned via the same route. Memorials The entire crew was declared dead on January 15, 1946. All are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Hughes earned the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. Pritchard earned the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. Talley earned the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. McBride earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Lipps earned the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. Lilley earned the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. Harmon earned the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Beech Creek Cemetery in Avery County, NC. Fritz earned the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. Vivatson earned the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Peters Cemetery in Pembina County, ND. Higgs earned the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. Trout earned the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, posthumously. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24D-80-CO Liberator 42-40636 "40636 (5th BG, 31st BS) hit by AAA and crashed into sea 12 km E of Hutjena, Bougainville, New Guinea Dec 4, 1943. MACR 1253" Missing Air Crew Report 1253 (MACR 1253) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Andrew J. Hughes American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Ashley F. Pritchard American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Claude C. Talley, Jr. American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Orval G. McBride American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Lawrence Lipps American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William J. Lilley American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Albert R. Harmon American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Norman J. Fritz American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Kristjan T. Vivatson American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Charles M. Higgs American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William C. Trout FindAGrave - Capt Andrew Jackson Hughes (photos, tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - 1LT Ashley Filer Pritchard (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - 1Lt Claude C Talley, Jr (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - 2Lt Orval G McBride (photo, tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - 1Lt Lawrence Lipps (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - TSgt William J Lilley (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - SSGT Albert R Harmon (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Albert Reed Harmon (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - TSGT Norman J Fritz (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Sgt Norman J Fritz (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - SSgt Kristjan Theodore Vivatson (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - SSGT Kristjan Theodore Vivatson (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - SSgt Charles M Higgs (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Charles Murray Higgs (memorial marker photos) FindAGrave - SSgt William Clyde Trout (tablets of the missing photo) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated
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