A couple of items related to this thread. The pilot who completed the Wake Island photo mission on July 31,1942 was George E Gober:
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/ar...nguished-crew/
The article mentions in the second paragraph that “In mid-July, headquarters at Honolulu called for volunteers to make a
third attempt.” I assume one of the first two attempts was the mission we are discussing here, by John McBeth. The other (maybe the first?) attempt may have been by General Clarence Tinker on June 7, who was leading a bombing (and recon?) mission to Wake. Tinker went down within 25 miles of Midway shortly after takeoff and nothing was ever found from his plane.
Link to Tinker MACR (which is 800 not 15097)
https://catalog.archives.gov/id/90896765
In the Pacific Wrecks web page about missions to Wake, (both Japanese and American) there are a couple of odd statements in the American Missions section.
https://pacificwrecks.com/airfield/u...ions-wake.html
“June ?, 1942”
“(7th AF) A single B-17 piloted by Major George E. Gober. from the 5th Bomb Group (5th BG), 31st Bomb Squadron (31st BS) flies a solo reconnaissance of Wake Island and made two runs over the island before being intercpted by Japanese fighters and claimed four shot down and one probable during a 40 minute combat. Although slighly damage, this B-17 returned safely to land at Midway Airfield.”
July 31, 1942
(7th AF) One B-17 from Midway flies photo reconnaissance of Wake. The B-17 is Intercepted by 6 fighters; in the ensuing fight US gunners claim 4 fighters destroyed.
I don’t think the “June ?” mission happened. The Gober July 31 mission is being described twice. The same error occurs in this site:
https://www.midway-island.com/chronology-of-events/