B-17C #40-2072 - "Miss E.M.F."
the Bakers Creek Memorial to WWII American GIs
The Crash of B-17C Flying Fortress #40-2072 American GIs in Mackay during WWII Information in archives The Bakers Creek Memorial Commemorative / annual commemorative ceremonies USN warships that have visited Mackay in recent years Recent activities Proposed activities Bakers-Creek-Memorial-pictures Annual commemorative ceremony, 04 June 2000 Flag raising ceremony, 14 June 2000
The Crash of
B-17C Flying Fortress #40-2072
During the Second World War, the United States
Army Air Corps established rest and recreation facilities in
Mackay Queensland, Australia. From the end of January 1943 until
early 1944, thousands of United States servicemen were ferried
almost daily from New Guinea to Mackay by air transport to spend
around 10 days on furlough (R&R). They were usually carried
by two B-17 Flying Fortesses converted for transport duties and
an LB-30 (civil transport version of the B-24 Liberator bomber),
stationed in Mackay with the 46th Troop Carrier Squadron, whose
parent Unit was stationed in Townsville, Queensland.
On Monday, 14 June 1943, just before dawn, at about 6 a.m., Boeing B-17C, Serial/Tail Number 40-2072, took off headed for Port Moresby. There were six crew and 35 passengers aboard. A few minutes after take-off, it crashed, at Bakers Creek, killing all but one of those on board.
The cause of the crash remains a mystery. The aircraft took off into fog and, soon after, made a turn at low altitude.
Rudy Sabbo and his brother, Dally, lived in Bakers Creek South. They were getting ready to go to work cutting sugar-cane when they heard the noise of a plane as though it flew almost over their home. A short time later, they heard an explosion. Initially, they thought it was a bomb dropped from the plane. When they went outside and looked towards Mackay Airport, they could see the plane must have crashed as they could see something burning through the fog. They ran about 1.6 km (one mile) to the crash along the railway line that passed by their home and across the bridge over Bakers Creek. As they approached the crash site, it looked eerie with fire burning in the fog.
The crash is relatively unknown outside Mackay. According to war time diaries of Captain Sam Cutler who set up recreation facilities for the GIs in Mackay, it was the worst air transport crash in US history at that time. It remains as Australia's worst air disaster. It was also the worst aeroplane crash in the Pacific theatre of WWII, and of the 12,731 Flying Fortresses manufactured and operated in WWII.
Due to wartime censorship, little could be reported in the media. The next day, "The Daily Mercury", Mackay's newspaper, reported that a visiting American serviceman had been injured. It also carried an editorial that expressed the sentiments of locals who knew what had happened. Nothing more appeared in the local media until after the was had ended, in February 1946.
The victims' remains were flown to Townsville where they were buried in the Belgian Gardens US military cemetery. Early in 1946, they were disinterred and shipped to Hawaii for re-burial. Thirteen are buried in the Punchbowl cemetery, Hawaii. The remainder were returned to the mainland. Funeral costs for the latter are bleieved to have been met by relatives, but this has not been confirmed.
Relatives of the victims received telegrams from the US War Department that said little more than the serviceman had been killed in an air crash in the south west Pacific. Evidence shows small notices appeared in local newspapers throughout the USA. None mentioned details other than the men were fighting the war in New Guinea and that the crash occurred in the south-west Pacific. Some reports have been obtained from US newspapers, such as the Julesburg Advocate, in north east Colorado. It reported the death of Sergeant Dean H. Busse and a memorial service, in June 1943, and a funeral notice when his remains were returned, in 1948. The American Legion appears to have organised those ceremonies.
American GIs
in Mackay during WWII
The US Army Air Corps set up a rest and recreation
facility in Mackay early in 1942. The first arrivals came from
Port Moresby at the end of January 1943, and continued to do so
until early 1944 when the fighting moved northward of New Guinea.
Most of the men who died were returning to New Guinea after spending several days on leave in Mackay. Some of the crew who had been stationed in Mackay for several months had become quite well known around town. Many of those on leave had been welcomed into the homes of locals during their brief visit. Some Americans married locals or other Australian girls.
Although the victims of this crash were not locals, they were close allies and are fondly remembered as "good boys". It is widely rumoured that they immediately returned to their Units in New Guinea if they misbehaved. During the period of this research, a number of people recalled the times they spent working for the US Army in the Grand Hotel, or at the American Red Cross recreation centre. Some were lads who were paid to shine shoes, others drove waggons dressed as "hay-rides" taking the Americans to local beaches and other places for parties. There are stories of mischief from the locals and the GIs with money to burn. Mackay remained relatively propserous throughout WWII; obviously due to the influx of GIs.
Crew Chief S/Sgt Lovell Dale (Dale) Curtis was so well liked that his portrait hung in McGuires Hotel where he was billeted until the family sold the hotel about 20 years later. During research into the crash, a gent phoned to say a photograph of Dale Curtis had also been on a piano in the residence of Frank Griffiths, a local identity, for many years.
Around 1994, a close friend and fellow Crew Chief "Connie" Constantine sent from the USA, a portrait of Curtis that had been taken in Mackay not long before Dale Curtis was killed. Constantine was scheduled to fly on 40-2072 but his orders were changed late the previous evening to another flight to Townsville. S/Sgt Whelchel, a fellow Crew Chief who had applied for more flying time, exchanged with Constantine, and died as a result. Constantine's tool-kit was already aboard when the order came through, and it went down with the plane. The change took place so late that he was believed to have perished, until he made a surprise return to the hotel on the evening of the crash.
Another former Crew Chief, Del Sparrowe, contacted Gene Rossel and myself in late 1999 after reading about the search for former crew of 40-2072. Del has described operations during that era, as well as the Crew Chief's duties, and described the interior of that plane. He says he is alive today because he lost the toss of a coin with fellow Crew Chief, Dale Curtis, who died in the crash. Del has become very interested in events surrounding the Bakers Creek Memorial. He and his wife have booked their passage to Australia for a brief holiday during which they will spend almost a week in Mackay for the next annual parade scheduled for Sunday, 4th June 2000.
Former Crew Chief, Paul Maynard, believes he flew in a test flight on the afternoon prior to the crash. The plane was reported to have made a long flight close to Mackay. He no longer has his flight logs to verify that, but says he usually flew in test flights. At the time of the crash, he was not assigned to any plane. He visited the scene of the crash the following day to help search for more victims underthe tail section of the fuselage that had remained intact. Soon afterwards, he was transferred to Townsvile and assigned to a plane. He never returned to Mackay. Late in 1996, Paul contacted the Mackay Aero Club via email to enquire if there was anything to mark the crash. We have been in contact since then. He was planning to visit Mackay with his brother and daughter to attend the 2000 annual ceremony, but had to curtail the visit due to illness.
In later 1999, e-mail relating to the crash of B-17C 40-2072 reunited these former Crew Chiefs who served together in Mackay and other areas in the Pacific during World War II - Connie Constantine, Del Sparrowe and Paul Maynard.
Captain Sam Culter USAAC came to Mackay in January 1942 to establish an American Red Cross facility for air force personnel on furlough. He was the Officer of the Day who supervised the loading of the B-17C immediately before it crashed. He died in 1992 after having lived with unpleasant memories of that fateful day. His son, Professor Robert Cutler, recently discovered his late father's detailed diaries. Amongst his personal papers was a copy of the manifest for the fatal flight that was not located in any official records. Robbie Cutler plans to incoprorate his father's diaries in a forthcoming publication "Over and Out" Sam's Story. After consulting with his family, Robbie sent the flag that adorned his father's coffin to be flown from the Bakers Creek Memorial on 14th June 2000. Plans are at hand to hold a special Dawn Service at 6.00 a.m. on this, the 57th Anniversary of the crash, to coincide with the approximate time of the crash as a tribute to their father.
Late in 1992, Mr. Herbert Brownstein had just completed a book on B-17C "The Swoose" for the Smithsonian when he received my letter seeking information about 40-2072. That letter prompted him to research the life of B-17C Flying Frotress 40-2072. He completed Crash at Bakers Creek, in 1992, and revised it in 1999. It is hoped to publish this book in Queensland in the near future.
Miss Joan Harris was the first to register a call with Mackay Police about the crash. Her parents, Mr. & Mrs. Gordon Harris, of Bakers Creek, tended the survivor until an ambulance arrived. Now widowed, Mrs. Joan Moodie has accepted an invitation to be guest speaker at the 2000 parade.
Information
in archives
The story of the plane, the crash and the
aftermath are slowly being written for history. The only official
records of substance is a a civil police report requested by the
US Army, now housed in the Queensland State. The police report
was located around mid-1996, some three years after learning
about it during a telephone conversation with one of the authors,
a retired police officer. That report may be shown on the web in
due course.
The
Bakers Creek Memorial
Late in 1981, with the 50th anniversary of the
crash approaching, a committee was formed in Mackay to build a
memorial so the men who died would not be forgotten. With the
help of a number of voluntry contributions, that committee
designed and built the Bakers Creek Memorial. It is comprised of
two brick columns aligned northwards on which are mounted flag
poles and two brass plaques facing eastwards. Between the columns
is a large aircraft propeller of a type fitted to Douglas C-47 /
DC-3 / Dakota airplanes that was supplied by the Royal Australian
Air Force. The plaques describe the crash and list the men known
to have perished as well as the sole survivor.
Commemorative
/ annual commemorative ceremonies
1992. The
memorial was unveiled and dedicated on 11 May 1992 in the
presence of the Captain and crew of USS Reuben James that was visiting
Australia for 50th Anniversary Battle of the Coral Sea
commemorations.
1993.
There was no parade at the Memorial on the 49th Anniversary of
the crash, Sunday 14th June.
However, private wreaths were laid by Mrs. Faye Cole,
whose parents, Mr & Mrs Harris, were involved immediately
after the crash, and Mackay RSL Historian, Mr. Col Benson. Mrs. Cole laid
wreaths on behalf of Foye
K. Roberts, the sole survivor, former USAAC mechanic Dewey Walker who carried out maintenance on 40-2072 immediately proir
to the crash, and former Chief Master Sergeant Teddy Hanks (USAF
ret) whose
untiring efforts produced the list of names of the survivors.
1994. At the request of Keith Payne VC who also took part, a special sunset parade was conducted on 19th May 1994 to coincide with the visit by Colonel Llew Millett (USA ret), a Medal of Honor winner in the Korean War. Colonel Millett was also welcomed at a Civic Reception by Mayor Gordon White and Mackay City Councillors. That was the first of the annual commemorative parades at the Bakers Creek Memorial.
1995. During the ceremony on 14th June 1995, former USAF Master Sergeant Jack Shaefe, who served with the 13th Air Force in the Pacific, unveiled a plaque bearing the names of the survivor and the 40 men killed in the crash.
1996. At a sunset ceremony on 14 June 1996, the guest speaker was exchange high school teacher, Miss Leesa Smith, from Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.A. After she returned to Colorado Springs, Leesa made a very lengthy one-day round trip to visit the grave of Sgt. Dean Busse, in Julesburg, in the very north east corner of her home state.
1997. Teenager, Miss Amber Kerr, gave an emotive address at the annual parade on 14th June 1997. A few months earlier, while on a visit to her grandparents in California, Amber had placed a floral tribute at the grave of Sgt George Erhmann at the Golden Gate Cemetery. Born in Australia of American parents, she understands the importance of the Bakers Creek Memorial. Amber is now at university in the USA..
1998. Bakers Creek resident. Mr. Robbie Fagg, was the guest speaker at the parade that commenced at 4 p.m. on Sunday, 12 July 1998. Having been born not far from Bakers Creek, he grew up learning about the large numbers of Americans who came to enjoy our lifestyle in their brief visit, and of the tragic plane crash that claimed a large number of them.
1999. The annual ceremony for 1999 was scheduled for 14th June, however, plans were changed when the USN warship, USS Harpers Ferry was due to visit Mackay. On the 12th May 1999, Mr. Walter "Snow" Wright, a prominent citizen gave the address. He described how he had taken the visiting American GIs on horse-drawn "hayrides" to local beaches where they frollicked and barbecued with locals with whom they had quickly made friends. About 30 USN Sailors and US Marines from USS Harpers Ferry participated in the parade while a similar number were spectators.
1999. The Commanding Officer, the XO, Air Boss and some senior non-commissioned officers from USS Paul F. Foster visited the Bakers Creek Memorial while in port, in July 1999. During that visit they demonstrated how the US colors are folded, and the significance of hiding all of the red colour.
1999. During a visit to Mackay, in September 1999, the CO of USS O'Brien conducted a wreathlaying ceremony with his XO and a contingent of sailors.
1999. Mackay City Council installed in October a spotlight to illuminate the Bakers Creek Memorial nightly from 1800 - 2200.
1999. A week before USS Rushmonre docked in Mackay, in November 1999, a State of Illinois flag arrived for Mr. and Mrs. Deakin to fly from the Bakers Creek Memorial for two sons lost in the crash. The flag was presented in a brief ceremony at the Memorial by the ship's Commanding Officer, Commander Michelle Howard, in concert with IC2 Lucas Pellens a native of Illinois, from Utica. They were supported by Major Brian Byrne and Major Robert Scott of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit from Camp Pendelton, CA, sailing with USS Rushmonre.
2000. Mr. Dewey Walker passed away in February 2000. His son plans to travel Down Under in the U.S. summer to spread Dewey's ashes in Australia.
Planning to attend the ceremony on 4th June -
USN warships that have visited Mackay in recent years
| 1992 | Destroyer | USS Reuben James | May | Participated in the unveiling of the Bakers Creek Memorial (11th May). In Australia for 50th Anniversary Coral Sea Week celebrations. (Appeared in the movie "Hunt for Red October".) |
| 1998 | Destroyer | USS Milius | November | (No arrangments made regarding the Memorial.) Returning home from the Gulf. |
| 1999 | Assault ship | USS Harpers Ferry | May | Lt. Corey Staardecker USN, sailors and marines participated in annual ceremony at Bakers Creek (12th May). Returning from the Gulf. |
| 1999 | Destroyer | USS Paul F. Foster | July | CO, CDR Tom Strei, Air Boss & SNCOs visit the Memorial. CO presented US colors to daily flag orderlies Bob and Vivienne Deakin, and airmen demonstrated how to fold them. Returning home from the Gulf |
| 1999 | Destroyer | USS O'Brien | September | CO CDR Eric Lindenbaum, & XO and sailors hold wreath-laying ceremony at the Memorial. En-route to Exercise Crocodile 99 in central Queensland |
| 1999 | Assault ship | USS Rushmore | November | CO CDR Michelle J. Howard presented State of Illinois Flag on behalf of Government of Illinois to daily flag orderlies to fly for two sons of Illinois lost in the crash (23rd November). Enroute from the North Pacific to the USA. via Brisbane. |
| 2000 | Destroyer | USS Hopper | April | The Commanding Officer, Officers and Sailors expected to participate in ANZAC Day ceremonies and socialise afterwards with local veterans. |
Recent
activities
Mention via email, on 6 May 1999, of the parade
involving the USS Harpers
Ferry to Lt Col Gene Rossel (USAF ret), an
Air Commando veteran, was the catalyst for considerable ongoing
activities concerning the B-17C Flying Fortress crash and the
Bakers Creek Memorial throughout the USA. In a flurry of activity
in August 1999, members of the Air Commando Association chased
the World Wide Web seeking former servicemen who may have been
connected with the 5th Air Force that operated 40-2072.
Having served in Vietnam with No. 2 Squadron RAAF Canberra bombers as part of 35 Tactical Fighter Wing, USAF, I am proud to have become closely associated with a number of Air Commandos.
Gene Rossel has broadcast information about the Bakers Creek Memorial to the highest levels of the US Government, newspapers, and Veterans organisations. The Air Commando Association quarterly newspaper for September 1999 allocated several pages to events surrounding the B-17C and Bakers Creek Memorial. A significant amount of feedback fro mthe USA and Austrlaia has been received as a result of this and other publications in which Gene Rossel has had articles printed (see discussion about Del Sparrowe and other Crew Chiefs).
Through Gene Rossel's representations:
Former WWII Crew Chief, Paul Maynard, sent some WWII pictures with Connie Constantine and a portrait of Paul taken in Mackay, in 1943, not long before the crash of B-17C #40-2072. (They may be posted here in due course. )
Two pictures of the crash site have turned up
that were published in a book in the U.S.A.
Col Benson
Mackay, Queensland, Australia