Date & Time:
Jul 11, 1943 at 0200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
42-40671
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Port Moresby - Port Moresby
MSN:
1748
YOM:
1943
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
10
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Port Moresby-Jackson Airport (7 Mile Drome) at 0145LT on a night bombing mission against Vunakanau Airfield near Rabaul. About 20 minutes into the flight, the crew encountered technical problems and was forced to return to base. While cruising at an altitude of 2,000 feet, the bomber entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in an open field located near 17 Mile Drome and was totally destroyed. All 10 crew members were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt Walter C. Hammond, pilot,
2nd Lt Robert F. Johnston, copilot,
T/Sgt Hartsill C. Rasor, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Dominick T. Rossi, assistant flight engineer,
2nd Lt Arthur M. Zuckerman, navigator,
2nd Lt Harry C. Shannon, bombardier,
T/Sgt William E. Guinn, radio operator,
S/Sgt Glenn Edward Sletten, assistant radio operator,
S/Sgt Jeremiah S. Connolly, air gunner,
S/Sgt Daniel M. Costello, air gunner.
Crew:
1st Lt Walter C. Hammond, pilot,
2nd Lt Robert F. Johnston, copilot,
T/Sgt Hartsill C. Rasor, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Dominick T. Rossi, assistant flight engineer,
2nd Lt Arthur M. Zuckerman, navigator,
2nd Lt Harry C. Shannon, bombardier,
T/Sgt William E. Guinn, radio operator,
S/Sgt Glenn Edward Sletten, assistant radio operator,
S/Sgt Jeremiah S. Connolly, air gunner,
S/Sgt Daniel M. Costello, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Unknown technical failure in flight.
