Operation: Vunakanau, Aerodrome, New Britain

Date: 26th June 1943 (Saturday)

Unit No: 403rd Bombardment Squadron (H), 43rd Bombardment Group (H), 5th Air Force

Type: B-17E ‘Taxpayer’s Pride’

Serial: 41-24448

Code: Unknown

Base: Dobodura #7 Aerodrome, New Guinea

Location: Close to Mount Varzin (Mount Vunakanau), New Britain

Pilot: Capt. Donald Duncan McEachran DFC, O-1699511 AAF Age 35. KiA (1)

Co-Pilot: Capt. John William ‘Billy’ Scott O-376130 AAF Age 25. KiA

Navigator: 2nd Lt. Sumner Luten Beck O-744826 AAF Age 28. KiA

Bombardier: 1st Lt. Mortimer Kneeland Smith O-659598 AAF Age 23. KiA

Engineer: Sgt. Ralph Harold Thomas Jr. SSM, DFC, 19079598 AAF Age 22. KiA

Radio Operator: T/Sgt. John J. Barry SSM, DFC, 6987583 AAF Age? KiA

Asst Radio Operator: T/Sgt. Rodney James Edwards 6902793 AAF Age 24 KiA

Gunner: Sgt. Otto Russell SSM, 15087861 AAF Age 35. KiA

Gunner: Cpl. Homer Gene Harper 17042548 AAF Age 23. KiA

Tail Gunner: Cpl. Joel Wayne Griffin 18040364 AAF Age 23. PoW * (2)

* Tokyo PoW Camp (Shinjuku) Tokyo Bay, Japan

REASON FOR LOSS:

At 01:45 hrs on the 26th June 1943 B-17E 41-24448 and its crew of ten (10) took-off from Dobodura #7 Airfield as one of three (3) B-17s that made up a force of thirteen (13) bombers on a mission to bomb the Japanese Vunakanau, Aerodrome on New Britain.

Dobodura #7 or Kenny Airfield was constructed and named in honor of the 5th Air Force commander Gen. George Kenny. Today known as Guirua Airport.

Shortly after leaving the target B-17E 41-24448 was attacked from below by a Japanese night-fighter using its upward firing 20mm cannons which heavily damaged the bomber and set it ablaze.

The ‘Taxpayer’s Pride’ was the first of two bombers claimed by Senior Flight Petty Officer (Kaigun-Ittōheisō) KUDO Shigetoshi and his observer, Sub-Lt (Kaigun-chūi) SUGAWARA Akira flying a Nakajima J1N1-S Gekkō (Moonlight). (WW2db and C. Peter Chen).

KUDO ended the war with nine (9) claimed victories. He died in 1960 from long term effects of injuries suffered in a 1945 landing accident.

Note: The Japanese word Kaigun preceding a rank indicates that it relates to the Navy.

The second bomber was 65th Bombardment Squadron (H) B-17E ‘Naughty But Nice’ 41-2430 flown by 1st Lt. William J. Sarsfield Jr. (9 KiA, 1 PoW)

At 03:23 hrs it was reported that an aircraft had been seen to crash near the centre of the Gazelle Peninsula after firing tracer bullets at an unidentified object. A further report was of a fire seen on the ground in the same vicinity at 03:38 hrs. The time of take-off from Dobodura would put B-17E 41-24448 in that area at approximately 03:23 hrs.

It was conjectured that it was B-17E 41-24448 which went down or that this plane shot down a night fighter and perhaps made a forced landing at some other point. It was later determined that only Cpl. Griffin managed to bale out the bomber which was found to have crashed on a plantation close to Mount Varzin (Mount Vunakanau).

(1) In July 1941 Donald Duncan McEachran crossed into Canada and enlisted in the RCAF.

Above: Courtesy of The Fresno Bee, dated 10th February 1942

After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour on the 7th December 1941 he was released from the RCAF to enlist in the USAAF.

Above: Courtesy of The Fresno Bee, dated 24th July 1943

(2) Cpl. Griffin was captured by the Japanese and transferred to the 6th Field Kempeitai Headquarters (HQ) in Rabaul, New Britain. He was one of the nine (9) PoWs who were selected for transferred to Japan on the 13th November 1943. The others were:

Maj. Williston M. Cox O-426370 USAAF;
2nd Lt. Jack K. Wisener O-662327 USAAF;
2nd Lt. Robert R. Martindale O-725625 USAAF;
ENS. William T. Welles O-156407 USN;
T/Sgt. Leslie H. Burnette 34179416 USAAF;
T/Sgt. Fred S. Engel 16036143 USAAF;
S/Sgt. Frank O. Wynne, Jr. 14016975 USAAF;
Cpl. Cephas L. Kelly 421693 USMC.

After an extended voyage in an old steamer they arrived in the port of Moji in Japan on the 7th December 1943.

Cpl. Griffin was initially held at the Omori Headquarters Camp #1 (Ofuna) Tokyo, Japan and then transferred to the Tokyo PoW Camp (Shinjuku) Tokyo Bay, Japan. He was liberated on the 29th August 1945.

Joel Wayne Griffin was born on the 13th January 1920 at Clyde, Callahan County, Texas. Joel passed away on the 31st October 1994 in Snyder, Scurry County, Texas, USA.

Burial Details:

Post-war, the crew's remains except for 2nd Lt. Beck were recovered from the crash site near Mount Varzin. It was several years later before the remains of 2nd Lt. Beck were recovered and returned to the United States.

Above: Group Burial grave marker for T/Sgt. John J. Barry, T/Sgt. Rodney J. Edwards, Cpl. Homer G Harper, Capt. Donald D. McEachran, Sgt. Otto Russell, Capt. John W. Scott, 1st Lt. Mortimer K. Smith, Sgt. Ralph H. Thomas Jr. (Courtesy of Eric Kreft – FindAGrave)

Capt. Donald Duncan McEachran. Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal (AM). Repatriated and laid to rest at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri on the 22nd March 1950 in a Group Burial in Plot 78, Grave 983, 983-A and 983-B. Born on the 12th April 1908 in Los Angeles, California. Son of Arthur Blackney (deceased in November 1918) and Eleanor D. (née McBryde) McEachran of Kern County, California. Husband to Allida Klazina (née Jansen) McEachran of Kern County, California, USA.

Capt. John William Scott. Repatriated and laid to rest at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri on the 22nd March 1950 in a Group Burial in Plot 78, Grave 983, 983-A and 983-B. Born on the 9th December 1917 in Burrows, Carroll County, Indiana. Son of Thomas Been and Hellen Marie (née Parks) Scott of Camden, Indiana, USA.

Above: Grave marker for 2nd Lt. Sumner L. Beck (Courtesy of No Reins – FindAGrave)

2nd Lt. Sumner Luten Beck. Air Medal (AM) (Posthumous). Repatriated and laid to rest at the Fairview Cemetery, Lee County, Iowa. Born on the 4th May 1915 in Donaldson, Kitson County, Minnesota. Son of George Henry and Alma Myrtle (née Merridith) Beck of Danville, Des Moines, Iowa, USA.

1st Lt. Mortimer Kneeland Smith. Air Medal (AM). Repatriated and laid to rest at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri on the 22nd March 1950 in a Group Burial in Plot 78, Grave 983, 983-A and 983-B. Born on the 8th November 1919 in Rochester, Monroe County, New York. Son of Mortimer Kneeland Sr. and Ruth A. (née Allen) Smith of Ogden, Monroe County, New York, USA.

Sgt. Ralph Harold Thomas Jr. Silver Star Medal (SSM), Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal (AM). Repatriated and laid to rest at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri on the 22nd March 1950 in a Group Burial in Plot 78, Grave 983, 983-A and 983-B. Born on the 26th July 1920 in Riverside, California. Son of Eleanor L. (née Stoelker) Thomas of Pasadena, California, USA.

T/Sgt. John J. Barry. Silver Star Medal (SSM), Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). Repatriated and laid to rest at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri on the 22nd March 1950 in a Group Burial in Plot 78, Grave 983, 983-A and 983-B. He was born in Fargo, North Dakota. Son of John W. Barry of Toledo, Ohio, USA.

T/Sgt. Rodney James Edwards. Repatriated and laid to rest at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri on the 22nd March 1950 in a Group Burial in Plot 78, Grave 983, 983-A and 983-B. Born on the 15th October 1918 in Port Chester, New York. Son of Ralph and Jane Edwards of Westchester, New York. Husband to Edith Edwards of West Palm Beach, Florida, USA.

Sgt. Otto Russell. Silver Star Medal (SSM), Air Medal (AM). Repatriated and laid to rest at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri on the 22nd March 1950 in a Group Burial in Plot 78, Grave 983, 983-A and 983-B. Born on the 13th February 1908 in West Frankfort, Franklin County, Illinois. Son of Carrol Franklin (deceased in November 1921) and Ina Mary (née Murphy) Russell of West Frankfort, Franklin County, Illinois, USA.

Cpl. Homer Gene (Eugene) Harper. Repatriated and laid to rest at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri on the 22nd March 1950 in a Group Burial in Plot 78, Grave 983, 983-A and 983-B. Born on the 1st February 1920 in Waterloo, Black Hawk County, Iowa. Son of George Harold (deceased in August 1936) and Clara Marie (née Schuchmann) Harper. Husband to Berniece Elizabeth (née Rutter) Harper of Waterloo, Black Hawk County, Iowa, USA.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the crew and their relatives (Apr 2026).

Other sources listed below:

References(s):

1. Investigation File: NAA: 336/1/1345 Part 6.

Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them. Franklin Delano Roosevelt