Crash of a North American B-25 Mitchell off Seram: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 28, 1943 at 0850 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N5-135
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
82-5547
YOM:
1941
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a bombing mission against enemy warship cruising off the coast of Maluku. During the attack, the aircraft was shot down by enemy fire and crashed into the sea, killing all five crew members.
Crew (18th Squadron):
1st Lt A. F. Oudraad, pilot,
2nd Lt J. B. F. de Knecht, copilot,
Sgt Neville George William Morris, bombardier,
Sgt A. H. de Jongh, radio operator,
Sgt Geoffrey Albert O'Hea, wireless operator and air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by anti-aircraft fire.

Crash of a North American B-25D Mitchell off Nightcliff: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 5, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
N5-140
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Darwin - Darwin
MSN:
85-5145
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful reconnaissance mission over North Timor, the twin engine aircraft was returning to its base in Darwin when on approach, it crashed into the sea one mile off Nightcliff, in the suburb of Darwin. All five crew members were killed.
Crew (18th Squadron):
S/Maj G. Tijmons, pilot,
Sgt K. van Bremen, copilot,
S/Maj F. J. van Wylick, radio operator,
F/Sgt Ronald James Hill, wireless operator and air gunner,
Sgt George Bryanton Weller, wireless operator and air gunner.

Crash of a North American B-25D-1 Mitchell into Lake Murray

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
41-29860
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
87-8025
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances into Lake Murray and sank. All five crew members were rescued. The wreckage was found in 2005 at the bottom of the lake.

Crash of a North American B-25C Mitchell into Lake Murray

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
41-12634
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
82-5269
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane suffered an engine failure and crashed into Lake Murray. All six crew members were rescued and the airplane sank by a depth of 150 feet. The wreckage was found in 2005 at the bottom of the lake.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a North American B-25D-5 Mitchell in Red Bluff

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
41-29978
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
87-8143
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing and damaged beyond repair. There were no fatalities.

Crash of a North American B-25D Mitchell off Point Jahleel

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
N5-133
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Darwin - Darwin
MSN:
87-7878
YOM:
1941
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a reconnaissance mission over the Kaimana Bay. While returning to base in Darwin, the twin engine airplane was attacked by the pilots of two Japanese Mitsubishi Zero. An oil line on the right engine was damaged so the right engine was cut. The captain was able to leave the combat area and while approaching the Australian coast, due to fuel exhaustion, the crew was forced to ditch the aircraft off Point Jahleel, Melville Island. The airplane sank and was lost and all five crew members were rescued.
Crew (18th Squadron):
2nd Lt R. L. N. Swane, pilot,
1st Lt A. J. de Wolf, copilot,
2nd Lt C. E. Begeman, bombardier,
Sgt Rouvroye, radio navigator,
Sgt William Charles Donald Moore, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by two Japanese fighters.

Crash of a North American B-25D Mitchell in South Carolina: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
41-29656
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Columbia - Hunter AFB
MSN:
87-7821
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances while en route from Columbia AAF, South Carolina, to Hunter AFB, Georgia. All six crew members were killed. The exact location of the mishap remains unknown, probably somewhere in South Carolina.
Crew:
2nd Lt Haig P. Wylie,
2nd Lt Rufus S. Humphries Jr.,
2nd Lt Frank J. Moore,
S/Sgt Horace C. Holt,
S/Sgt Joseph E. Messina,
Sgt Stanley F. Warshak.

Crash of a North American B-25C-5 Mitchell near Helwan: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 21, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
42-53475
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
90-11962
YOM:
1942
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances near Helwan, south of Cairo. Three crew members were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt William A. Stacey,
2nd Lt Phil Gould,
S/Sgt Aldus B. Cavna.

Crash of a North American B-25C-1 Mitchell in Memphis

Date & Time: Mar 19, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
41-13276
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
82-5911
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on takeoff and damaged beyond repair. There were no fatalities.

Crash of a North American B-25D Mitchell near Winnsboro: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1943
Operator:
Registration:
41-29664
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
87-7829
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances 3 km southeast of Winnsboro, killing the entire crew.
Crew:
1st Lt Jack D. Ledbetter,
1st Lt Stephen G. Link,
2nd Lt William B. Aubert,
S/Sgt Gerald W. DeBord,
S/Sgt Ernest J. Storm,
S/Sgt Aaron F. White,
S/Sgt Dennis A. Wihl,
Sgt Edward J. Dubicki.