Copyright www.aerothentic.com
The below information was prepared especially for this website,
and is aimed to give an idea of the remote area resources we deploy
to discover the history and truth behind MIA sites. Aerothentic
unreservedly
acknowledges Brian Bennett, the CILHI Field Officer in Papua New Guinea, for discovering the below
site :
CILHI Chief Field Officer, Brian Bennett has once
again found another definite MIA site through deploying his network of native
inhabitants. Brian has discovered human remains at an aircraft crash site
at an atlitude of 4,700 feet in the Finesterre Ranges.
Date of loss : 16 April 1944 (Black Sunday)
Crew: 2nd Lt Raymond A Cooley 0-888887 Pilot
2nd Lt Dudley R Ives 0-687035 Co-Pilot
2nd Lt George E Archer 0-685343 Navigator
2nd Lt Donald F Grady 0-685799 Bombardier
T/Sgt Richard R Sargent 13128550 Engineer
S/Sgt Norman L Nell 17164634 Assist.Engineer
T/Sgt Steve Zayac 20322589 Radio Operator
S/Sgt Thomas G Knight 16126500 Assist.Radio Operator
S/Sgt Blair W Smith 33135850 Gunner
S/Sgt Joseph M King 36576814 Gunner
Engines: Four R-1830-65 Serial Numbers: 42-91692, 42-99872, 42-36592, 42-89996
This Liberator was ast seen 50 miles north of Faita at 2,000' on a 90 bearing, in bad weather, much of it instrument flying, when the formation in which this airplane was flying broke up. The pilot was instructed to take a heading for Saidor and proceed by himself. He acknowledged and stated he was gaining altitude. This was the last radio contact. The site was excavated in 2002 with crew remains recovered.
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