Joseph served as a Second Lieutenant & Co-Pilot on B-25D #42-87286, 17th Squadron, 71st Reconnaissance Group, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

He resided in Santa Clara County, California prior to the war.

He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on January 12, 1942 in San Francisco, California. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed in the manufacture of automobiles and also as Single, without dependents.

B-25D #42-87286 took off, with a crew of 6 and two other B-25's, from Finschafen Airfield, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea on a Reconnaissance mission over Bunabun Harbor, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea.

Over the target area they were hit by ground anti-aircraft fire and were seen to explode and crash into Bunabun Harbor. The entire crew was lost.

Joseph was declared "Missing In Action" in this crash during the war.

He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.

Service # O-676665

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Airmen who perished on B-25D #42-87286:

Brown, Lon F ~ Capt, Pilot, SD
Harburg, Frederic E ~ Capt, Navigator, CO
Maggio, Michael R ~ Sgt, Gunner, NJ
Samuelson, Ralph E ~ S/Sgt, Radio Operator, IL
Sproules, Joseph T ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, CA
Wilkinson, Sterling E ~ S/Sgt, Gunner, UT

( Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )

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Joseph served as a Second Lieutenant & Co-Pilot on B-25D #42-87286, 17th Squadron, 71st Reconnaissance Group, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

He resided in Santa Clara County, California prior to the war.

He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on January 12, 1942 in San Francisco, California. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed in the manufacture of automobiles and also as Single, without dependents.

B-25D #42-87286 took off, with a crew of 6 and two other B-25's, from Finschafen Airfield, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea on a Reconnaissance mission over Bunabun Harbor, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea.

Over the target area they were hit by ground anti-aircraft fire and were seen to explode and crash into Bunabun Harbor. The entire crew was lost.

Joseph was declared "Missing In Action" in this crash during the war.

He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.

Service # O-676665

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Airmen who perished on B-25D #42-87286:

Brown, Lon F ~ Capt, Pilot, SD
Harburg, Frederic E ~ Capt, Navigator, CO
Maggio, Michael R ~ Sgt, Gunner, NJ
Samuelson, Ralph E ~ S/Sgt, Radio Operator, IL
Sproules, Joseph T ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, CA
Wilkinson, Sterling E ~ S/Sgt, Gunner, UT

( Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~