CRASH OF A B-25D MITCHELL
INTO THE CORAL SEA
BETWEEN PORT MORESBY AND CHARTERS TOWERS
ON 31 DECEMBER 1942

visits since 7 February 1999

A USAAF B-25D Mitchell #41-29733, "Hell's Belles", of the 13th Bomb Squadron of the 3rd Bomb Group, based in Charters Towers, failed to arrive at Charters Towers on 31 December 1942 on a flight from Port Moresby. It is believed to have gone down somewhere in the Coral Sea during some bad weather. 

There were no survivors. It is believed that there were 12 -14 personnel on board the aircraft. The pilot was Captain George S. Thomas and another crew member was Captain A. Leonard "Doc" Hymes. 1st Lt. Malcolm E. Petersen (#0-397451)of the 22nd Troop Carrier Squadron of the 374th Troop Carrier Group was also a passenger on this aircraft . Malcolm joined USAAC in California. He is buried at Plot C, Row 0, Grave 1223, Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu. Hawaii. He was awarded the Silver Star.

Can anyone tell me who the other personnel were that were killed?

NOTE:- The "Aircraft Crash Sites - Australia" List and the book "Diary of WWII - North Queensland", shows the above aircraft as being #41-39733. According to Michael Claringbould of Aerothentic Publications there was no such B-25 Serial No.

SOURCE:-   Aircraft Crash Sites - Australia

Crash:         No. 21

Position:     20.04 - 146.17

Department of Aviation Chart No:       3234

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Gordon Birkett for his assistance with this web page.

REFERENCE BOOK

"Diary of WWII - North Queensland"
Complied by Peter Nielsen

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 23 Sep 2008