Port Moresby, New Guinea
September 1943 
© Photos from the 2/33 Australian Infantry Battalion War Diary
(Click to enlarge)

USAAF crew standing in front of 42-40682 "Microbe Hunter". The plane was named and painted by Kevin James McCracken. Later renamed "Pride of the Cornhuskers"

© Photo supplied by John Barone, Associate Life Member of the 43rd Bomb Group. The photo was taken by John's brother, T/SGT Louis S. Barone - 403rd Bombardment Squadron. This is the only known photo of "Pride of the Cornhuskers"

© Photo supplied by Bill Hart, nephew of Ralph Hart

© Photo supplied by Peter Dehman, nephew of Hyman Silverstein. Hyman is pictured second from the left.

© Photo supplied by Peter Dehman, nephew of Hyman Silverstein. Hyman is pictured standing on the left hand side.

Looking from the runway along the flight-path to the truck-line

A pile of twisted metal left once the flames died down

Looking back towards the crash site from the other side

B-24 Prop can be seen embedded in the rear of the cab

A young Australian soldier looks on in horror at the wreckage left behind

A distance shot looking along the flight-path towards the truck-line.

The burnt-out Chevrolet, truck #2

Again, the B-24 prop can be seen protruding out from the rear of the cab.

The truck of VX11997 Captain John Boyd Ferguson.

Debris litters the landscape

© 2/5 Australian General Hospital Association

© 2/5 Australian General Hospital Association

Crash Site Located:  Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
October 2012 
© Photos courtesy of Medals Gone Missing. 
Special thanks to Michael Claringbould, historian and author, for providing aerial maps of the crash site location.
(Click to enlarge)

2/33 Australian Infantry Battalion Association member Geoff Watkins standing at the truck cab of VX11997 Captain John Boyd Ferguson.

2/33 Australian Infantry Battalion Association member Geoff Watkins standing at the truck cab of VX11997 Captain John Boyd Ferguson.

Exploded and buckled remains of .303 rifle rounds found at the crash site

Using a photo from the 1943 crash-site for comparison

70th Anniversary Commemoration: Australian War Memorial
6 September 2013
© Photos courtesy of the Australian War Memorial
(Click to enlarge)

"Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels" welcomed all in attendance

Dr Brendan Nelson with his opening address

Those who gathered for the official wreath laying ceremony

The only original member of the 2/33 Australian Infantry Battalion, WX96 Murray Sweetapple

2/33 Australian Infantry Battalion AIF Association President, NX43720 Ray Gibson

NX88133 Ian "Snowy" King

NX200319 Doug Pleace

NX153060 Bert Jourdain

Diggers of the 2/33 Battalion lay the official wreath in memory of their brothers

Matt Sloan & Lt-Col. Keith Cowell (USAF) lay the wreath for all 73 soldiers from both countries

The two men pay their respects to each other for their fallen countrymen.

Ernie Cafe, with sons Matthew & Michael lay a wreath in memory of Ernie's father, NX31802 Edwin William Cafe

Ernie Cafe with sons Matthew & Michael

WX96 Murray Sweetapple

NX81163 "Curly" Collins with wife Jan

7th Division Engineers Association paying their respects. Rod Iddles, President & Dawn Holden, Secretary

Recce Of The Crash Site: 
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
6 September 2014
© Photos courtesy of the 2/33 Australian Infantry Battalion AIF Association
(Click to enlarge)

Some members stop to watch a plane taking off from Jackson's International Airport and fly directly over the crash site.

.303 rifle round with 5-round stripper clip

Rear sight protector from a .303 rifle (M36 grenade ring-pull in palm)

A tragic find. Part of the sole from a soldier's boot. More than likely this soldier did not survive the crash.

Skid mount from a Bren Gun bipod

Gary Traynor (Medals Gone Missing) & Adrian Clack (Kokoda Track 'n Trail) survey the area

a sling swivel from a .303 rifle

Gary Traynor utilises photos from 1943 for comparison

Matt Sloan with some of the local children coming to see what was going on.

Dawn Service: Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
7 September 2014
© Photos courtesy of the 2/33 Australian Infantry Battalion AIF Association
(Click to enlarge)

Gary Traynor, organiser of the event in PNG, prepares to start the dawn service.

Descendants, locals and guests take position for the dawn service

Members of the Australian Federal Police performing ceremonial duties

Papuan locals attending the service

Papuan locals with NX81054 Private Ronald Bean, 2/33 Australian Infantry Battalion.

Official guests of the ceremony holding four photos of USAAF personnel killed onboard the plane. These are the four families we have made contact with.

All descendants, Kokoda Track 'n Trail trekkers and guests pose for a photo with the plaque.

Local man Isu Moiya came out from the group holding an Australian Rising Sun badge and three US dog-tags

Isu Moiya holding the Rising Sun badge and a cleaner. Recovered at the crash site.

Isu Moiya holding the three US dog-tags recovered at the site. (Unfortunately the dog-tags were unrelated to the crash).

Gary Traynor, Site Administrator for Medals Gone Missing, presenting the US dog-tags to Colonel Dick Parker, Australian Army, for return to the US.

Gary Traynor, Site Administrator for Medals Gone Missing, presenting the US dog-tags to Colonel Dick Parker, Australian Army, for return to the US.

The plaque commissioned by the 2/33 Australian Infantry Battalion AIF Association.

Matt Sloan, grandson of SX1662 Jack Balfour-Ogilvy holding the plaque of his design next to a photo of his grandfather. Jack was one of the first on the scene at the time of the crash.

Gary Traynor holding a photo of 2nd Lieutenant Ralph M. HART, 403rd Bomb Squadron and onboard "Pride of the Cornhuskers".

Gary Traynor explaining to the locals about 2nd Lieutenant Hart, from information we had received from the family in the US

Gary Traynor explaining to the locals about 2nd Lieutenant Hart, from information we had received from the family in the US

This is the exact location where the group in the previous photo is standing. The photos are taken from opposite directions

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