16 NOVEMBER 1942
CRASH OF A B-24 LIBERATOR
AT IRON RANGE
4 AIRCRAFT DESTROYED
11 MEN KILLED

visits since 26 May 2007

B-24 Liberator damaged during this accident at Gordon strip at Iron Range

A USAAF B-24 Liberator #41-23942 "Bombs to Nippon" piloted by Lt. Paul Larson of the 400th Squadron of the 90th Bombardment Group crashed during take-off for a bombing mission out of Iron Range's "Gordon" air strip. Aircraft of the 90th Bomb Group were taking off at night from Iron Range for their first bombing raid on Rabaul. The dust blown up by the first B-24's taking off obscured the dim airfield lights. The eleventh B-24 in line veered off the runway into two parked B-24 Liberators and a B-17 Flying Fortress.

The B-24 caught fire and its bomb load exploded.  Casualties were eleven US Service personnel killed and four aircraft. The remaining four aircraft did not take off. One of these #41-23765 "Connell's Special" was materially damaged while #41-23751, "Big Emma", was only slightly damaged.

There were 7 aircraft from the 320th Squadron, 4 from the 319th Squadron and 4 from the 400th Squadron in this bombing mission. The first B-24, #41-11902 "Punjab", took off at 2300hrs as scheduled. The next B-24 did not take off until 2314hrs. There was a lot of confusion amongst the "green" pilots. Some of the pilots were not ready when it was their turn to take off. They had not determined a suitable method of communication and no method of control in dispatching the aircraft was in place. The first aircraft took off with landing lights on while the others that followed did not use their landing lights. The runway lights were placed too far apart.

That first B-24, #41-11902 "Punjab", vanished without a trace on this mission from Iron Range to Rabaul. It was piloted by the Commanding Officer of the 320th Squadron, Major Raymond S. Morse. Also on board was the Group Commander, Colonel Arthur W. Meehan, who was co-pilot. Another one of the crew members was Lt Wallace Sorensen. This loss in combination with the above crash caused some significant morale problems amongst the men of the 90th Bomb Group.

One of those killed was a linemen sitting on the wing of an aircraft. There had been some speculation that there may have been up to 15 killed in this accident. The following burial records from the US Cemetery in Townsville show the names of the 11 men killed in this tragic accident:-

"Queensland Airfields WW2 - 50 Years on"
By Roger R. Marks

Page 168
41-23765 was reported "materially" as distinct from "slightly" damaged at IRON RANGE on 16-17 November 1942, and while I can't be sure, it seems likely it was the plane Jack Atkinson "repaired" so it could be flown "some thousand miles south to the Depot".

NOTE:-   B-24D, #41-23765, is shown having the Nickname "Connell's Special" in the book "The Forgotten Fifth". This was named after Brigadier General Carl Connell, who was in charge of the local Air Depot in Brisbane where this aircraft was modified.  It was the first B-24 in the South West Pacific area modified to add a powered twin .50 calibre tail turret to the nose of the aircraft. It was back in Port Moresby by 3 March 1943 after the modification. It would appear this modification was carried out in early 1943 after the accident in November 1942.

Photo:- Michael Musumeci

Plaque at Lockhart River dedicated on Anzac Day 25 April 2007

Photo:- Michael Musumeci

Dedication Service on Anzac Day 25 April 2007

Subject:   Big Emma
Date:       Sun, 05 Sep 1999 09:47:29 -0400
From:      Tupa <tupa@chesapeake.net>

Here is the left side of "Big Emma". The words "Big Emma" are on the right side of the plane. The scratches are from the wartime censor removing the machine gun from the picture so it could be sent home.

Bob Tupa

#41-23751 - "Big Emma"

Click on picture to enlarge

Subject:    16 NOV 1942 Crash
Date:             Sun, 05 Sep 1999 09:58:15 -0400
From:           Tupa <tupa@chesapeake.net>

This is #41-23765 which later received the original tail markings as Col Rogers' plane

Bob Tupa

#41-23765 - possibly "Connell's Special"

Subject:    16 NOV 1942 Crash
Date:             Sun, 05 Sep 1999 10:04:26 -0400
From:           Tupa <tupa@chesapeake.net>

These are pictures of planes that took part in the 16 November 1942 raid according to the list in Wiley Woods' book.

Bob Tupa

#41-23751 - "Big Emma" ? Squadron, 90th Bomb Group	#41-23765 - possibly "Connell's Special" 400th Squadron, 90th Bomb Group
#41-23763 - "Patches" 320th Squadron, 90th Bomb Group	#41-11904 - "Pride of the Yanks" 400th Squadron, 90th Bomb Group
#41-23719 - "Hallzapoppin" 319th Squadron, 90th Bomb Group	#41-23714 - "Eight Ball" 321st Squadron, 90th Bomb Group

NOTE:- If you look closely under the open window of "Big Emma" you will see the word "IVY". This refers to its pilot Lt. Leroy Iverson.

Subject:    Moby Dick
Date:             Sun, 05 Sep 1999 10:13:27 -0400
From:           Tupa <tupa@chesapeake.net>

Here is the original "Moby Dick" that the Squadron was later named after with my grandfather sticking his head out of the cockpit window.

Bob Tupa

Capt Norman Lawler, 90th BG adjutant
in "Moby Dick" (possibly #41-24047)

Subject:    16 NOV 1942 Crash
Date:  Mon, 06 Sep 1999 19:26:42 -0400
From:  Tupa <tupa@chesapeake.net>

Below is part of an email sent to me by Kelly Ryun whose father, Harry Ryun, was a member of Lt. Leroy Iverson's crew and they were the primary crew for "Big Emma" and the attached picture is Iverson with "Big Emma".

Lt. Leroy Iverson with "Big Emma"

Subject:    16 NOV 1942 Crash
Date:              Mon, 06 Sep 1999 23:22:32 -0400
From:            Tupa <tupa@chesapeake.net>
To:                 pdunn@st.net.au
CC:                Kelly Ryun <Fufffly@aol.com>

Here is a log entry for "Big Emma" on the date of the crash from one of the crew members. I have forgotten which one. It was given to me by Kelly Ryun whose father Harry was also a member of the crew and hopefully when she gets the copy of this e-mail she will refresh my memory of whose log book it was.

Bob Tupa

Log book entry of
crew member of "Big Emma"

Subject:    "Big Emma"
Date:             Mon, 06 Sep 1999 23:52:24 -0400
From:           Tupa <tupa@chesapeake.net>

Peter

Here is another crew pictured on the right side of "Big Emma" with the actual words. According to the log that I have a copy of, they set up and took crew pictures in front of the plane whether you used it or not. I believe this is the Wiltse crew.

Bob Tupa

Possibly the Wiltse crew
in front of "Big Emma"

Subject:     "Big Emma"
Date:              Tue, 07 Sep 1999 10:55:50 -0400
From:            Tupa <tupa@chesapeake.net>

It is hard to say where the pictures were taken. The log entry that I have about pictures is, 4/7/43 - Combat crews had their pictures taken by Group photo by 123751 to be put on file. (123751 was Big Emma #41-23751) G\Group HQ had moved to Port Moresby in February of 43 so it is impossible for me to say whether these photos were at Iron Range or Moresby.

Bob Tupa

Subject:    "Buck Benny"
Date:             Tue, 07 Sep 1999 13:32:46 -0400
From:           Tupa <tupa@chesapeake.net>

Here is a picture of Jack Benny in "Buck Benny Rides Again" to go with your picture of the tail.

Bob Tupa

Jack Benny in #44-40340
"Buck Benny Rides Again"

REFERENCE BOOKS

"Queensland Airfields WW2 - 50 Years On"
By Roger R. Marks

The Forgotten Fifth
A Classic Photographic Chronology of the
Fifth Air Force in Action in the Pacific in WW2
By Michael Claringbould

Can anyone help me with more information on this crash?

Heaps of WW2 books available at Amazon.com

"Australia @ War"

This page first produced 7 February 1999

This page last updated 26 May 2007