Port Moresby-Jackson (7 Mile Drome)

The four engine airplane departed 7 Mile Drome in Port Moresby in the early morning on a surveillance mission, carrying 11 crew members. Shortly after takeoff, it went out of control and crashed into a truck convoy loaded with Australian Army 2/33rd Infantry Battalion soldiers on the eastern end of the runway. All 11 occupants of the airplane were killed as well as 59 people on the ground. 92 others were injured. All soldiers in trucks were awaiting orders to board C-47 Skytrains' to be flown northward to Nadzab Airfield via Tsili Tsili Airfield.
Crew:
F/O Howard J. Wood, pilot,
1st Lt Howard R. Thomas, copilot,
S/Sgt John Hrywnak, flight engineer,
2nd Lt Ralph M. Hart,
2nd Lt Robert G. McDonald,
T/Sgt Charles P. Seip,
T/Sgt Hyman Silverstein,
S/Sgt Joel L. Herndon,
S/Sgt Donald F. Wilcott,
S/Sgt Samuel M. Wilkinson,
S/Sgt Samuel B. White.

Damaged beyond repair in a landing accident at 7 Mile Drome. There were no fatalities.

The airplane departed Mackay Airport on a flight to Port Moresby-7 Mile Drome, carrying a crew of six and 35 US soldiers who were returning to PNG following an R&R period. Few minutes after takeoff, while climbing in foggy conditions, the airplane named 'Miss Every Morning Fixin' crashed in unknown circumstances in a wooded area located in Bakers Creek, some 8 km south of Mackay Airport. A passenger (Sgt Robert Foye) was seriously injured and was the only survivor as all 40 other occupants were killed. This was the deadliest plane crash in the Pacific area in WWII and remains the worst aviation accident in Australia.
Crew (19th BG):
1st Lt Vern J. Gidcumb Jr., pilot,
F/O William C. Erb, copilot,
2nd Lt Jack A. Ogren, navigator,
Sgt David E. Tileston, radio operator,
S/Sgt Lovell Dale Curtis, crew chief,
S/Sgt Frank E. Whelchel, crew chief.
Passengers:
Pfc Jerome Abraham,
Cpt John O. Berthold,
T/5 William A. Briggs,
Sgt Dan H. Busse,
T/Sgt James A. Copeland,
Sgt Carl A. Cunningham,
T/5 George A. Ehrman,
Pvt James E. Finney,
Sgt Leo E. Fletcher,
T/Sgt Alfred H. Frezza,
Pfc Norman J. Goetz,
S/Sgt Roy A. Hatlen,
S/Sgt John W. Hilsheimer,
Pfc Vernon Johnson,
Sgt Donald B. Kyper,
Sgt Charlie O. LaRue,
Pvt Raymond D. Longabaugh,
Pfc Kenneth W. Mann,
Cpl Marlin D. Metzger,
Pvt Charles D. Montgomery,
Pfc John W. Parker,
Pfc Frank S. Penska,
Maj George N. Powell,
Sgt Anthony Rudnick,
Cpl Charles W. Sampson,
Pfc Arnold Seidel,
Cpl Jacob O. Skaggs Jr.,
Cpl Franklin F. Smith,
Cpl Raymond H. Smith,
Pfc Frederick C. Sweet,
Cpl Edward Tenny,
Pfc Dale Van Fosson,
Pvt Ruben L. Vaugh,
Charles M. Williams.
Sources & photos: http://www.ozatwar.com/ozcrashes/qld46.htm

The airplane departed 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby in the early morning on a reconnaissance mission. Shortly after takeoff, the airplane crashed about one km past the runway end, bursting into flames. Nine occupants were killed and one survived.
Crew:
1st Lt James A. Pickard, pilot, †
Cpt Jack A. Ryan, copilot, †
Sgt John J. Meehan, flight engineer, †
Cpt Richard E. Zahm, navigator, †
T/Sgt Carl P. Averill, radio operator,
Pfc Claude R. Sparks, assistant radio operator, †
M/Sgt Donald E. Tice, observer, †
2nd Lt Francis L. Damron, bombardier, †
S/Sgt Merrill E. Green, air gunner, †
Cpl Dale S. Mitchell, air gunner. †

The airplane departed Port Moresby-7 Mile Drome at 1010LT on a reconnaissance mission. Four hours later, it was attacked by several Japanese Mitsubishi Zero fighters. A fuel tank near the engine n°2 was hit and four crew members bailed out before the aircraft went into a spin and crashed on Mt Hong Kong overlooking the Waterfall Bay, in the region of Matong village. All six crew who remained aboard were killed while all four others were later captured by Japanese soldiers. Three of them were executed and only one (S/Sgt Cascio) survived the war.
Crew (43rd BG):
1st Lt Ernest A. Naumann, pilot,
1st Lt Winslow G. Gardner, copilot, †
Sgt Albert Smith, radio operator, †
S/Sgt Paul J. Cascio Jr., radio operator,
2nd Lt Charles H. Lewis, navigator, †
T/Sgt Thomas H. Fox, flight engineer,
2nd Lt Oliver R. Alvin, bombardier, †
S/Sgt Virgil E. DeVoss, air gunner, †
Sgt Bruno R. Bukalski, air gunner, †
Pfc Charles H. Green Jr., air gunner.

The airplane departed Port Moresby-Jackson (7 Mile Drome) on a training flight with other similar airplanes. While flying in close formation over the sea, the airplane was caught by a sudden downdraft and the propellers collided with B-17F registered 41-24355, causing some damage to its tail. Following the collision, the engines caught fire then the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed into the sea off Hood Point, 48 km southeast of Port Moresby. All seven crew members were killed. The other B-17 returned to Port Moresby safely.
Crew:
Cpt Charles N. McArthur,
2nd Lt La Rue Haralson,
T/Sgt Joseph C. Whitelaw,
Sgt Robert R. Greenwood,
Sgt George N. Neuman,
Pvt William N. Phillips,
Pvt Brony C. Wysocki.

During the takeoff run from Port Moresby-7 Mile Drome, a tyre and a rim came off from a main gear. The aircraft went out of control, veered off runway, rolled for 200 yards before coming to rest, bursting into flames and exploding. All 11 crew members were killed. Explosions were caused by three 500 lbs bombs stored in the cargo bay. A dead wallaby was later found on the runway but it was not proven if this was the cause of the accident or not. The aircraft was named 'Blues in the Nite'.
Crew (43th BG):
Maj Kenneth D. McCullar, pilot,
2nd Lt Byron G. Andrews,
2nd Lt Blaine McCord Jr.,
2nd Lt John W. Schultz Jr.,
T/Sgt Elmer R. Hansen,
S/Sgt Philip A. Zumwalt,
Sgt Bert F. Bredemeier,
Cpl George A. Mowad,
Pvt David W. Stuckey,
S/Sgt Pierre R. O'Grady,
S/Sgt Michael J. Paz Jr.

The airplane departed Port Moresby-7 Mile Drome at 0915LT on a reconnaissance and administrative flight to Merauke and Horn Island, then was scheduled to return to 7 Mile Drome. About 20 minutes into the flight, the radio operator "checked in" with the ground station. This was the last contact with the airplane and its crew who were from Headquarters Squadron, 5th Bomber Command. The airplane failed to return to base and is believed to have crashed somewhere into the Coral Sea. Lost without trace.
Crew:
Br Gen Howard K. Ramey, pilot,
Lt Col Harold N. Chaffin, copilot.
Passengers:
Cpt Stanley A. Loewenberg,
Cpt James R. Griffin,
1st Lt Ferdinand D. Mannoccir II,
2nd Lt William Lief,
M/Sgt James D. Collier Jr.,
T/Sgt Ortis L. Quaal,
S/Sgt Robert R. Stith,
S/Sgt Harry A. Johnson,
Sgt Marvin Berkowitz,
Pfc George T. Hopfield.

The airplane departed Port Moreby-7 Mile Drome at 0920LT on a supply mission to Wau, carrying five crew members and a load of ammunition and equipment. On approach to Wau, it was attacked by Japanese fighter and after passing over the Bulolo River, it crashed in hilly terrain located south of Wau Airfield. All five crew members were killed. The wreckage was found in September 1988.
Crew:
1st Lt Robert H. Schwensen, pilot,
1st Lt Henry W. Sherman, copilot,
Cpl Emil W. Erickson, flight engineer,
Pvt Clifford J. Fawn, radio operator,
Pfc Edward G. Piekutowski, air gunner.

The airplane departed Port Moresby-7 Mile Drome on an operation against Japanese ships off Lae. Over the target area, it was shot down by six Japanese Zero and crashed into the sea. Eight crew members were killed and the copilot was rescued and became PoW.
Crew:
2nd Lt Dayton S. Altman Jr., pilot, †
Lt Norman D. Smith, copilot,
2nd Lt William H. Hoyt Jr., navigator, †
T/Sgt Francis M. Brigham, radio operator, †
2nd Lt Herbert H. Gardner Jr., bombardier, †
T/Sgt Freddie K. Affeld, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Vincent M. Calise, air gunner, †
S/Sgt John F. Ratliff, air gunner, †
S/Sgt Francis E. Bogucki, air gunner. †