B-17 force-landed 25 January 1942 Java?

[BrianC]

Hi guys

Re-reading Vern Haugland's "The AAF Against Japan", he writes that eight B-17s from Java raided Balikpapan in Borneo on 25 January and were apparently intercepted by Japanese fighters. Only three B-17s returned to their base at Malang and that the other five landed (force-landed?) "about Java and Borneo - Soerabaya, Bandjermasin, Bangkalan, Arosbaja." Were any of these combat damaged?

Another account implied that one was observed by a Japanese reconnaissance aircraft to have force-land on an island off Soerbaya (Bawean?)

Has anyone a report on this raid, please, or additional information?

Cheers
Brian

[edwest2]

Hello Brian,


Any idea to which unit these B-17s belonged? I'm not turning up much.

[Sean Welch]

B-17E 41-2468 of 19BG crash-landed on Madera Island, Dutch East Indies 25/1/1942. Pilot was Northcutt.

Sean.

[Col Bruggy]

Brian,

In actual fact, two (2) 7th Group B-17s crashed on Madura Is. on 25 January, 1942.

B-17E 41-2406 - 7 BG/22BS - Destroyed by crash landing at Madera Is [sic]., 25 Jan 42. Pilot Maj. Kenneth B. Hobson.

B-17E 41-2468 - 7 BG/9 BS - Destroyed by crash landing at Madera Is [sic]., 25 Jan 42. Pilot: 1st Lt. Robert E Northcutt.

See:
Fortress Against The Sun: The B-17 Flying Fortress in the Pacific.
Salecker,Gene Eric.
Conshohocken:Combined Publishing,2001.
pp.384 & 385


and ...

The bombers went out again to Balikpapan January 25 (1942), a mixed force of two B-17Es from the 7th Group (Maj. Hobson and Lt Northcutt) and two from the 19th Group, along with three of the 19th's long suffering B-17Ds, survivors of the Philippine battles still in service. The flight ran into Japanese fighters, again most likely from the Tainan Kokutai, who had moved to Balikpapan on January 24th. Though no B-17s were lost, the formation was roughly handled. Hobson and Northcutt both landed their B-17s with wheels up near the town of Bangkalan, on the island of Madura, across from the city of Soerabaja, the main Dutch naval base. Lt (Charles H.) Hillhouse of the 19th Group had to land at Bandjermasin, south of Balikpapan, with his airplane badly shot up.

See:
Death From Above: The 7th Bombardment Group in World War II.
Young,Edward M.
Atglen:Schiffer Publishing,2014.
p.80

Col.

[BrianC]

Many thanks once again, Col

Excellent information - just what I was seeking.

Cheers
Brian

[Stig Jarlevik]

Col/Sean

Two interesting aircraft.
It seems that many (most?) B-17s assigned to Java was assigned to 19BG who in turn re-assigned them to their ultimate units (in these two cases 7BG)

Somwhow one can interpret that both aircraft survived their ordeal at Madura Island since none of them are SOC in relation to this incident.
On the other hand nothing further seems to be known for any of them either so perhaps these "crash landings" were terminal after all?

41-2406 was SOC 31 Oct 1944
41-2468 was SOC 3 Aug 1943

During days of retreat - defeat etc, sending updated reports to HQ in USA took a back stage stand, hence the two very late SOC dates?

Cheers
Stig

[Col Bruggy]

Hello All,

The following is of interest in that it names the participants of the 25 January 1942 raid on Balikpapan (also identifies their aircraft).

https://thejavagoldblog.wordpress.co...va-part-eleven

https://www.afhra.af.mil/Portals/16/...090602-062.pdf see: pp.122-3 of 276

Col

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks Col

Very, very interesting indeed!

Cheers
Stig