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

[RSwank]

This is a 1944 story on the pilot, Godman. It gives the crash date as March 12.

https://www.newspapers.com/article/f...ram/156418638/

None of the three officers were POWs and all survived the war.

The two enlisted men were POWs and they also survived the war.

Wallie "Bud" James Hewston Jr was a POW: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...-james-hewston

Henry Benedict Pecher (note spelling of last name) was also a POW: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...enedict-pecher

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Thanks for your answer.

[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

Re: Timing of crash of Godman's B-17 41-2507.

"Does anyone know when the crash occurred?"

A direct quote from Godman's autobiography:

"The plane had crashed almost exactly at midnight on March 13, 1942. I'll never forget the date."

See:
Supreme Commander: A Manly Book of Courage and Love about the Man Who Flew MacArthur.
Col. Henry C. Godman U.S.A.F. with Cliff Dudley.
Harrison (AR):New Leaf Press,1980. (later edition 2003?).
P.44.

Col.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Thanks Col for this answer and sorry for the delay