From Facebook page “Our Greatest Generation”: On August 28, 1943 a B-25D Mitchell sn41-30345, tail coded “Y” and assigned to the 5th Air Force, 3rd Bombardment Group, 8th Bombardment Squadron possibly nicknamed "Reluctant Dragon" took off from Dobodura Airfield piloted by 1st Lt. Robert B. Widener on a mission to bomb and strafe enemy shipping in the Hansa Bay area. Over the target, the formation attacked a 500-ton "Sugar Charlie" in the southeast corner of Hansa Bay.
During the bombing run, this B-25 was too close to the preceding plane's bomb blast and the explosion knocked off the right wing and tail near the eastern side of Hansa Bay. Streaming smoke, the damaged B-25 crashed into Hansa Bay among the ships it was attacking. The entire crew was instantly killed in the crash. This B-25's crash was documented by USAAF Photographer Jack Heyn’s camera, his three photos from the proceeding B-25 captured the "Reluctant Dragon’s" final moments. Veteran Jack Hyen recalls from his diary:"An extraordinary shot, or I should say series of shots. I'm sure they'd make a wonderful feature news story in any newspapers, but they will probably never get close to a news press. It is an 8th Sqd. ship on a mission at Hansa Bay where it caught some small shipping. It was knocked down by the bombs from the ship which took the picture. In the picture the ship has its tail section and right wing blown clean off and dives to the water. I imagine the Japs got a big bang out of this incident but I'm sure they didn't enjoy the thorough going over they got from the rest of the ships in the formation, cause as you can plainly see there was plenty of close fireworks for them."Those lost in B-25D 41-30345 from the 8th BS 3rd BG; 1st Lt Robert B WIDENER (MIA/KIA), 8th BS2nd Lt Bernard LAZARUS (MIA/KIA), 8th BSSgt James W LEFLER (MIA/KIA), 8th BSSgt Francis M MONAHAN (MIA/KIA), 8th BSThe entire crew was officially declared dead the day of the mission. All are memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery
During the bombing run, this B-25 was too close to the preceding plane's bomb blast and the explosion knocked off the right wing and tail near the eastern side of Hansa Bay. Streaming smoke, the damaged B-25 crashed into Hansa Bay among the ships it was attacking. The entire crew was instantly killed in the crash. This B-25's crash was documented by USAAF Photographer Jack Heyn’s camera, his three photos from the proceeding B-25 captured the "Reluctant Dragon’s" final moments. Veteran Jack Hyen recalls from his diary:"An extraordinary shot, or I should say series of shots. I'm sure they'd make a wonderful feature news story in any newspapers, but they will probably never get close to a news press. It is an 8th Sqd. ship on a mission at Hansa Bay where it caught some small shipping. It was knocked down by the bombs from the ship which took the picture. In the picture the ship has its tail section and right wing blown clean off and dives to the water. I imagine the Japs got a big bang out of this incident but I'm sure they didn't enjoy the thorough going over they got from the rest of the ships in the formation, cause as you can plainly see there was plenty of close fireworks for them."Those lost in B-25D 41-30345 from the 8th BS 3rd BG; 1st Lt Robert B WIDENER (MIA/KIA), 8th BS2nd Lt Bernard LAZARUS (MIA/KIA), 8th BSSgt James W LEFLER (MIA/KIA), 8th BSSgt Francis M MONAHAN (MIA/KIA), 8th BSThe entire crew was officially declared dead the day of the mission. All are memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery
From Facebook page “Our Greatest Generation”: On August 28, 1943 a B-25D Mitchell sn41-30345, tail coded “Y” and assigned to the 5th Air Force, 3rd Bombardment Group, 8th Bombardment Squadron possibly nicknamed "Reluctant Dragon" took off from Dobodura Airfield piloted by 1st Lt. Robert B. Widener on a mission to bomb and strafe enemy shipping in the Hansa Bay area. Over the target, the formation attacked a 500-ton "Sugar Charlie" in the southeast corner of Hansa Bay.
During the bombing run, this B-25 was too close to the preceding plane's bomb blast and the explosion knocked off the right wing and tail near the eastern side of Hansa Bay. Streaming smoke, the damaged B-25 crashed into Hansa Bay among the ships it was attacking. The entire crew was instantly killed in the crash. This B-25's crash was documented by USAAF Photographer Jack Heyn’s camera, his three photos from the proceeding B-25 captured the "Reluctant Dragon’s" final moments. Veteran Jack Hyen recalls from his diary:"An extraordinary shot, or I should say series of shots. I'm sure they'd make a wonderful feature news story in any newspapers, but they will probably never get close to a news press. It is an 8th Sqd. ship on a mission at Hansa Bay where it caught some small shipping. It was knocked down by the bombs from the ship which took the picture. In the picture the ship has its tail section and right wing blown clean off and dives to the water. I imagine the Japs got a big bang out of this incident but I'm sure they didn't enjoy the thorough going over they got from the rest of the ships in the formation, cause as you can plainly see there was plenty of close fireworks for them."Those lost in B-25D 41-30345 from the 8th BS 3rd BG; 1st Lt Robert B WIDENER (MIA/KIA), 8th BS2nd Lt Bernard LAZARUS (MIA/KIA), 8th BSSgt James W LEFLER (MIA/KIA), 8th BSSgt Francis M MONAHAN (MIA/KIA), 8th BSThe entire crew was officially declared dead the day of the mission. All are memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery
During the bombing run, this B-25 was too close to the preceding plane's bomb blast and the explosion knocked off the right wing and tail near the eastern side of Hansa Bay. Streaming smoke, the damaged B-25 crashed into Hansa Bay among the ships it was attacking. The entire crew was instantly killed in the crash. This B-25's crash was documented by USAAF Photographer Jack Heyn’s camera, his three photos from the proceeding B-25 captured the "Reluctant Dragon’s" final moments. Veteran Jack Hyen recalls from his diary:"An extraordinary shot, or I should say series of shots. I'm sure they'd make a wonderful feature news story in any newspapers, but they will probably never get close to a news press. It is an 8th Sqd. ship on a mission at Hansa Bay where it caught some small shipping. It was knocked down by the bombs from the ship which took the picture. In the picture the ship has its tail section and right wing blown clean off and dives to the water. I imagine the Japs got a big bang out of this incident but I'm sure they didn't enjoy the thorough going over they got from the rest of the ships in the formation, cause as you can plainly see there was plenty of close fireworks for them."Those lost in B-25D 41-30345 from the 8th BS 3rd BG; 1st Lt Robert B WIDENER (MIA/KIA), 8th BS2nd Lt Bernard LAZARUS (MIA/KIA), 8th BSSgt James W LEFLER (MIA/KIA), 8th BSSgt Francis M MONAHAN (MIA/KIA), 8th BSThe entire crew was officially declared dead the day of the mission. All are memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from New York.
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