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| USAAF 5th AF 345th BG 499th BS  Howard Moore 1943 |
Pilot 1st Lt Chandler S. Whipple, O-735715 (MIA / KIA) Bristol, NH Co-Pilot F/O Royce E. Tuttle, T-187606 (MIA / KIA) Poteet, TX Engineer SSgt Walter C. Shultz, Jr., 18080791 (MIA / KIA) Dallas, TX Radio TSgt Hubert A. Camper, 13063255 (MIA / KIA) Sullivan County, TN Gunner SSgt James B. Mixon, 14124159 (MIA / KIA) Hampton County, SC Crashed October 5, 1943 MACR 754 Aircraft History Built by North American Aviation (NAA). Constructors Number 87-8182. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-25D-5 Mitchell serial number 41-30017. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 345th Bombardment Group (345th BG) "Air Apaches", 499th Bombardment Squadron (499th BS) "Bat Outta Hell". Converted into a B-25D-1 strafer version by the 4th Air Depot at Garbutt Field in Townsville. Assigned to pilot Jack Broadhurst. Nicknamed "Flying Ginny" after Broadhurst's wife on the left side of the nose. Co-pilot Whipple painted his wife's name on the right side "Bette". After Broadhurst left the squadron, 1st Lt Chandler S. Whipple took over the bomber with Crew chief TSgt Howard B. Moore. When lost, engines R-2600-13 serial number 41-28451 and 42-77632. Mission History On October 5, 1943 took off from Port Moresby piloted by 1st Lt Chandler S. Whipple on a barge sweep along the north coast of New Guinea near Bogadjim. After shooting up ten barges, some B-25s flew inland to look for more targets in the vicinity of Erima Plantation. While flying at low level, hit by intense anti-aircraft fire and was seen with the cockpit and nose completely enveloped in flames. The damaged B-25 continued on course for a moment then crashed into the ground, killing the entire crew at roughly Lat 5.26 S Long 145.44 E. Wreckage During November 2002, the crash site was visited by a team from U.S. Army CILHI and coded "PNG #45". Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead the day of the mission. All are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Whipple earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Homeland Cemetery in Bristol, NH at section 21W, lot 6, grave 5.1. Tuttle earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Rutledge Cemetery in Poteet, TX. Shultz earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Camper earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Mixon earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Relatives Eldon Tuttle (nephew of Royce E. Tuttle) Josh Moore (grandson of Howard B. Moore) "I'm the grandson of the late Howard B. Moore that was the crew chief of the Flying Ginny / Bette." References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Chandler S. Whipple NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Royce E. Tuttle NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Walter C. Shultz, Jr. NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Hubert A. Camper NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - James B. Mixon USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-25D-5 Mitchell 41-30017 Missing Air Crew Report 754 (MACR 754) created October 6, 1943 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Chandler S. Whipple FindAGrave - Chandler Sargent Whipple (memorial marker photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Royce E. Tuttle FindAGrave - Royce E Tuttle (memorial marker photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Walter C. Shultz Jr. FindAGrave - SSgt Walter Corbett Shultz Jr. (memorial marker photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Hubert A. Camper FindAGrave - TSgt Hubert A Camper (photo, tablets of the missing photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - James B. Mixon FindAGrave - SSgt James B Mixon (tablets of the missing) PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - B-25C Mitchell 41-30017 Warpath Across The Pacific (1996) pages 51, 366, 386, 413 Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated June 28, 2026 |
 B-25  MIA 5 Missing |
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