B-17 41-2507, March 1942

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Hello,

I have some questions about the loss of B-17 41-2507. It was one of the four sent in March 1942 from Australia to Mindanao to pick up McArthur and his suit, but while flying on instruments in darkness flew into water off Iligan Bay, Mindanao. Two crew died and five reached land.

The two dead are ommemorated on the Wall of Missing of Manila American Cemetery, but one, T/Sgt Frank Wayland Lytle, with the date of 12 March, while the other, Sgt Allen Granville Whitehead, is on 13 March. Does anyone know when the crash occured ?

As for the five survivors (list available at https://www.ozatwar.com/macarthur.htm), some sources say they were all captured but one said that only the two sergents became POW, as they were considered "expendable" and were not evacuated with their officers. Can someone confirm the fate of the whole crew ?

Thanks in advance