B-25J Mitchell #336128

Submitted by Jason McDonald on Thu, 2014-07-03 14:20

B-25J-10-NC Mitchell 336128 of 11th Air Force, 28th Composite Group, 77th Bomb Squadron, based on Attu, lost on December 29, 1944 during a fighter decoy sweep of Suribachi Airfield on Paramushiru Island, Kuriles (now part of Russia). Lt. Banker radioed Lt. Leonard Kupersmith that he was executing a 180-degree turn, but was never heard from again. The plane failed to return to base. No search was conducted. The entire crew was listed as missing in action.

I don't believe this photo is of its last mission, since such an encounter between a Japanese Ki-43 Hayabusa ("Oscar") fighter would have been reported.

Click here for the entire after-action report (23MB PDF)

Name Rank Crew Position
Douglas Eugene Banker First Lt. Pilot
John Robson Franke First Lt. Co-Pilot
Jack Boyd Evans First Lt. Navigator/Bombadier
Archie Lorraine Cathie Capt. Engineer
Frank White Poplin Technical Sgt. Radio Operator/Gunner
Michael Patrick Spillane Staff Sgt. Assistant Engineer/Gunner
William Newton Travelbee Pvt. 1st Class Armaments/Gunner

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