Papua New Guinea

The airplane was shot down by enemy fire while attacking a convoy off Buna. The pilot was able to leave the area and attempted to make an emergency landing when the airplane crashed in shallow water off Cape Nelson, near Buna. A crew member, 2nd Lt Duncan S. Hughes, was killed while all six other occupants were injured.

The airplane departed 7 Mile Aerodrome in Port Moresby on an operation to Rabaul. Approaching the target area, it was attacked by Japanese fighters. The crew attempted to escape but the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a plantation located in Kabanga, east of Rabaul. All nine crew members were killed.
Crew (19th BG):
1st Lt Hugh S. Grundmann, pilot,
1st Lt LeRoy F. Foltz, copilot,
2nd Lt Donald L. Bonham,
2nd Lt Frank M. Burton Jr.,
Pfc William A. Takala,
Cpl James T. McHugh Jr.,
Cpl Harry T. Isles,
Pvt Kenneth E. Dake,
Pvt Robert E. McClure.

The airplane departed 7 Mile Aerodrome in Port Moresby on an operation to Rabaul. Approaching the target area, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and was attacked by enemy fire as well. The captain decided to return to Port Moresby but after a flight of 3,5 hours, the radio compass failed. The crew attempted to make an emergency landing on a beach located on Malapla Island. While the airplane was damaged beyond repair, all 10 occupants escaped unhurt.
Crew (19th BG):
Cpt Harry J. Hawthorne, pilot,
2nd Lt Paul J. Scarboro, copilot,
2nd Lt Warren E. Bryant, navigator,
2nd Lt Robert J. Haase, bombardier,
S/Sgt Milton P. Kelm, flight engineer,
Pfc Arnold G. Osborne, radio operator,
Cpl Walter T. Buchanan, air gunner,
Michael R. Andrade, air gunner,
S/Sgt Selm, air gunner,
Cpl Paul K. Harmon, air gunner.

The airplane departed Townsville on a flight to Port Moresby (7 Mile Aerodrome). About 30 minutes prior to the ETA, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and the visibility was limited. The captain was able to gain height and continued above the cloud layer. Unfortunately, the aircraft christened 'Yankee Clipper' overflew Port Moresby and continued to the east. Due to fuel shortage, all eight occupants decided to abandon the airplane and bailed out. The airplane dove into the ground and crashed on the slope of Mt Suckling located about 200 km east of Port Moresby and was destroyed. Six crew members were recovered (some of them eight days later) while two others were killed.
Crew (22nd BG):
Lt Duncan A. Seffern, pilot,
2nd Lt James A. Michael, copilot, †
Sgt Paul L. Ramsey, bombardier,
2nd Lt Carroll W. Casteel, navigator, †
Tom Riley, air gunner,
Sgt Kenneth R. Gundling, radio operator,
Sgt George T. Rickman, flight engineer,
Vern Haugland.

The airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Wangat Island. A crew was killed and four others became PoW. They were executed on August 31.
Crew:
T/Sgt Hugh W. Anderson,
Cpt Robert L. Herry,
1st Lt Robert J. Koscelnak,
1st Lt Louis J. Ritacco,
S/Sgt Raymond J. Zimmerman. †

The airplane departed 7 Mile Aerodrome in Port Moresby , searching for a Japanese convoy near Buna. At 0915LT, it was attacked by Japanese Mitsubishi Zero. Fifteen minutes later, it went out of control and crashed into the Solomon Sea off Cape Ward Hunt. Eight crew members were killed and another one evaded.
Crew (19th BG):
1st Lt William H. Watson, pilot, †
1st Lt John F. Putman, copilot, †
1st Lt James O. Etter, navigator, †
S/Sgt Robert A. Abadie, bombardier, †
T/Sgt Eugene M. Clemens, flight engineer, †
Sgt Leo T. Ranta,
Sgt Robert V. Copley, †
Cpl Philip A. Deal, air gunner, †
Sgt William H. Parker, air gunner. †

The twin engine airplane departed 7-Mile Aerodrome near Port Moresby to shadow an enemy cruiser force in the Gulf of Huon. Two hours after takeoff, while returning to base, it was attacked by a Japanese fighter. The crew attempted to escape but 10 minutes later, the airplanee was shot down and crashed in a dense wooded area located near the village of Popogo, in the region of Buna. The wreckage was found on 28 February 1943. All four crew members were killed.
Crew (32nd Squadron):
P/O Warren Frank Cowan,
P/O David Reid Taylor,
Sgt Russell Bradburn Polack,
Sgt Lauri Edwin Sheard.

The airplane was engaged in an operation against Lae when it collided with a Japanese Zero and crashed into the sea some 25 km southeast of Lae. All seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt John F. Daley Jr.,
Cpl Vernon D. Huddleston,
1st Lt Philip L. Jander,
1st Lt Milton Orville Johnson,
Sgt Thomas A. Morgan,
S/Sgt William C. Smith,
1st Lt Lawrence Irving Werner.

The crew was on an operation to Lae Airfield when the airplane crashed in hilly terrain near Tapini. The wreckage was found about 120 km north of Port Moresby. All four crew members were killed.
Crew:
S/L Charles Walter Lyndsay, pilot,
F/O Joseph Anderson Wormald, observer,
Sgt Douglas Wallace Desmond, wireless operator,
F/Sgt Charles Forbes Patterson, air gunner.

While overflying the Huon Gulf, the twin engine aircraft christened 'The Virginian' was shot down by the pilot of a Japanese fighter and crashed into the sea, some 30 miles off Salamaua. All eight occupants were killed.