|
 |
|
|
| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
| Chronology | Locations | Aircraft | Ships | Submit Info | How You Can Help | Donate |
|
| USAAF 13th AF 42nd BG 70th BS |
Pilot Lt. James H. Dickinson (survived) Bishopville, SC Co-Pilot F/O Charles R. McCurry, O-2268106 (survived) Denton, TX Navigator Lt. Leslie J. Callahan, O-666623 (survived) Manhattan, KS Gunner S/Sgt Millard V. Bills, 36264489 (survived) Sechlerville, WI Gunner Sgt William R. Fort, 15102527 (survived) Fortville, IN Gunner S/Sgt Nelan L. Guner (survived) San Antonio, TX Ditched November 24, 1943 MACR none Aircraft History Built by North American Aviation (NAA). Constructors Number unknown. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-25 Mitchell model and serial number unknown. The last three digits of the serial number or tail number was possibly "148". Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to the South Pacific (SOPAC). Wartime History Assigned to the 13th Air Force (13th AF), 42nd Bombardment Group (42nd BG) "The Crusaders", 70th Bombardment Squadron (70th BS). Nicknamed "Careless". Mission History On November 24, 1943 took off from Renard Field piloted by Lt. James H. Dickinson on a bombing mission against Kahili Airfield. Over the target, this B-25 suffered a direct hit by anti-aircraft fire, causing the left engine to burst into flames, that swept up into the bomb bay and navigator and radio compartments, causing the crew to move rearwards into the tail. Pilot Dickinson made a successful and ditched into the sea off Maifu Island and deployed a life raft. The crew in the tail exited through the bottom escape hath and rescued crew member SSgt Guner who was caught in the waist window. As all the crew climbed into the raft, the B-25 sank. Only Sgt Fort sustained minor wounds to his legs and face. Rescue Friendly B-25 circled overhead and dropped another raft, but then departed when their fuel ran low. The crew spent three hours in the raft, until two friendly planes appeared but failed to spot them. An hour later, a PBY Catalina piloted by Milton Cheverton from VP-23 escorted by ten P-40 Kittyhawks located their raft. As the Kittyhawks strafed nearby gun positions, the Catalina landed to rescue them. During the landing, shore batteries from Ballale and Kahili began firing at them but failed to damage the plane or disrupt the rescue. Black Cats and Dumbos: WWII’s Fighting PBY’s page 253 Milton Cheverton, PBY Catalina pilot of VP-23: “I was on patrol on November 23, 1943 supporting a B-25 raid on Bougainville. The Army raiders had bombed their targets but one of their planes had been shot down and the Japs left the crew in their raft as decoys, I guess. We were ordered to go in and get them. Twelve Australian [sic New Zealand] P-40s went with us and strafed the hell out of the enemy shore batteries and small arms fire Man! They were something. I sat the Cat down in Shortland Harbor and without knowing it, found we were right at the end of a Jap landing strip [Ballale Island]. They opened up with every gun they had. At least it seemed that way. When we pulled up alongside the raft, it seemed to be taking an extremely long time to get the all-clear to taxi for takeoff. So I went aft to the blister and found some of the B-25 crew arguing to bring their raft aboard. Well, it took only a short time to convince them that those were real bullets splashing ever closer and that rubber rafts were quite expendable. As we taxied out of the harbor, the Japs began firing ‘four inchers’ and cannons and the works at us but never touched a man or the plane. The B-25 skipper said 'I've always thought the PBY was the ugliest airplane I had ever seen until I saw you coming in to pick us up – then I decided it was the most beautiful craft in the world!' I got a 'well done' from Admiral Halsey, a Distinguished Flying Cross and went to the top of the ‘good list’." Memorials McCurry later went Missing In Action (MIA) on March 20, 1944 as a passenger aboard RB-24D 41-24107 assigned to the Pacific Wing, Air Transport Command (ATC). He earned the Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters. He did not earn the Purple Heart, posthumously as the flight he was lost was non-combat. McCurry is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Callahan went Missing In Action (MIA) on March 20, 1944 as a passenger aboard RB-24D 41-24107 assigned to the Pacific Wing, Air Transport Command (ATC). He earned the Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters. He did not earn the Purple Heart, posthumously as the flight he was lost was non-combat. Callahan is memorialized at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing, court 5. Dickinson died January 14, 1988 at age 82. He is buried at Bishopville Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Bishopville, SC. Bills died on May 23, 1997 at age 75. He is buried in Sechlerville Cemetery in Hixton, WI at Row 8-F, grave 6. Fort died on November 28, 1997 at age 76 in Newport, TN. He is buried at Resthaven Memorial Mausoleum. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - James H. Dickinson NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Charles R. McCurry NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Millard V. Bills NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - William R. Fort The Crusaders: A History of the 42nd Bombardment Group (1946) page 54-55 Black Cats and Dumbos: WWII’s Fighting PBY’s page 253 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Charles R. McCurry FindAGrave - 2Lt Charles Raymond McCurry (photo, tablets of the missing photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Leslie J. Callahan FindAGrave - Leslie J. Callahan (photo, news, courts of the missing photo) FindAGrave - James Harold Dickinson (grave photos) FindAGrave - Millard Vern Bills (grave photo) FindAGrave - William Robert Fort (photo, obituary) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated
|
 B-25 |
| Discussion Forum | Daily Updates | Reviews | Museums | Interviews & Oral Histories |
|
