Returning from Guadalcanal to Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides the squadron experienced the loss of Capt Callaham and his crew. Callaham's plane was flying just off the water in a driving rain when it was forced to ditch in a heavy sea due to engine failure. All lives were lost. With this loss and others the B-26 inventory of the squadron was down to nine aircraft.
That afternoon, 15 November, the 70th was ordered back to its base.
There was not enough gasoline on Guadalcanal to fuel the planes any more that day. After the B-26s of the 70th came through a tropical front, Capt. Callaham started calling on his radio that his props were "surging." He then said that he could not control his props and was going to ditch at sea. This was near the coast of San Cristobal Island. It was later realized that his props were surging because his engines were failing. Callaham and all his crew were lost at sea. However, the 70th crews knew that they had contributed a lot to saving Guadalcanal that day because it had been "touch-and-go" until noon
Hufstedler served with the 5th Air Force, 38th Bombardment Group, 70th Bombardment Squadron. He was the navigator on B-26B #41-17558, nicknamed 'Dixie Belle' that took off from Henderson Field Guadalcanal with a group of eight other planes to return to their home field on Espiritu Santo Island. They encountered bad storms and the pilot radioed that he was experiencing mechanical problems and was going to ditch in the ocean. The plane went down about 323 miles southeast of Guadalcanal, broke up on impact and sank. No one was seen to make it out of the plane. A search of the area failed to find any of the crew.
Because his body was not recovered, his name is inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing. Hufstedler received the Purple Heart.
Hufstedler is also memorialized in Hufstedler Cemetery in Missouri, alongside his parents.
That afternoon, 15 November, the 70th was ordered back to its base.
There was not enough gasoline on Guadalcanal to fuel the planes any more that day. After the B-26s of the 70th came through a tropical front, Capt. Callaham started calling on his radio that his props were "surging." He then said that he could not control his props and was going to ditch at sea. This was near the coast of San Cristobal Island. It was later realized that his props were surging because his engines were failing. Callaham and all his crew were lost at sea. However, the 70th crews knew that they had contributed a lot to saving Guadalcanal that day because it had been "touch-and-go" until noon
Hufstedler served with the 5th Air Force, 38th Bombardment Group, 70th Bombardment Squadron. He was the navigator on B-26B #41-17558, nicknamed 'Dixie Belle' that took off from Henderson Field Guadalcanal with a group of eight other planes to return to their home field on Espiritu Santo Island. They encountered bad storms and the pilot radioed that he was experiencing mechanical problems and was going to ditch in the ocean. The plane went down about 323 miles southeast of Guadalcanal, broke up on impact and sank. No one was seen to make it out of the plane. A search of the area failed to find any of the crew.
Because his body was not recovered, his name is inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing. Hufstedler received the Purple Heart.
Hufstedler is also memorialized in Hufstedler Cemetery in Missouri, alongside his parents.
Returning from Guadalcanal to Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides the squadron experienced the loss of Capt Callaham and his crew. Callaham's plane was flying just off the water in a driving rain when it was forced to ditch in a heavy sea due to engine failure. All lives were lost. With this loss and others the B-26 inventory of the squadron was down to nine aircraft.
That afternoon, 15 November, the 70th was ordered back to its base.
There was not enough gasoline on Guadalcanal to fuel the planes any more that day. After the B-26s of the 70th came through a tropical front, Capt. Callaham started calling on his radio that his props were "surging." He then said that he could not control his props and was going to ditch at sea. This was near the coast of San Cristobal Island. It was later realized that his props were surging because his engines were failing. Callaham and all his crew were lost at sea. However, the 70th crews knew that they had contributed a lot to saving Guadalcanal that day because it had been "touch-and-go" until noon
Hufstedler served with the 5th Air Force, 38th Bombardment Group, 70th Bombardment Squadron. He was the navigator on B-26B #41-17558, nicknamed 'Dixie Belle' that took off from Henderson Field Guadalcanal with a group of eight other planes to return to their home field on Espiritu Santo Island. They encountered bad storms and the pilot radioed that he was experiencing mechanical problems and was going to ditch in the ocean. The plane went down about 323 miles southeast of Guadalcanal, broke up on impact and sank. No one was seen to make it out of the plane. A search of the area failed to find any of the crew.
Because his body was not recovered, his name is inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing. Hufstedler received the Purple Heart.
Hufstedler is also memorialized in Hufstedler Cemetery in Missouri, alongside his parents.
That afternoon, 15 November, the 70th was ordered back to its base.
There was not enough gasoline on Guadalcanal to fuel the planes any more that day. After the B-26s of the 70th came through a tropical front, Capt. Callaham started calling on his radio that his props were "surging." He then said that he could not control his props and was going to ditch at sea. This was near the coast of San Cristobal Island. It was later realized that his props were surging because his engines were failing. Callaham and all his crew were lost at sea. However, the 70th crews knew that they had contributed a lot to saving Guadalcanal that day because it had been "touch-and-go" until noon
Hufstedler served with the 5th Air Force, 38th Bombardment Group, 70th Bombardment Squadron. He was the navigator on B-26B #41-17558, nicknamed 'Dixie Belle' that took off from Henderson Field Guadalcanal with a group of eight other planes to return to their home field on Espiritu Santo Island. They encountered bad storms and the pilot radioed that he was experiencing mechanical problems and was going to ditch in the ocean. The plane went down about 323 miles southeast of Guadalcanal, broke up on impact and sank. No one was seen to make it out of the plane. A search of the area failed to find any of the crew.
Because his body was not recovered, his name is inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing. Hufstedler received the Purple Heart.
Hufstedler is also memorialized in Hufstedler Cemetery in Missouri, alongside his parents.
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