Bakers Creek air crash
Encyclopedia
The Bakers Creek air crash was an aviation disaster which occurred on 14 June 1943, when a USAAF
B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft crashed shortly after take-off at Bakers Creek, Queensland
approximately 8 kilometres (5 mi) south of Mackay
, killing 40 of the 41 military service personnel on board. The crash is Australia's worst aviation disaster by death toll and was the worst accident involving a transport aircraft in the south-western Pacific during World War II
.
The aircraft, a Boeing B-17C, serial/tail number 40-2072, known as "Miss Every Morning Fixin" took off from Mackay Airfield
just before dawn at about 6 am in foggy conditions, headed for Port Moresby
. Soon after, it made a low altitude turn and a few minutes later, crashed. The cause of the crash remains a mystery.
The six crew and 35 passengers were returning to New Guinea
after an R&R
break. The aircraft was part of the United States Fifth Air Force
and was operated by the 46th Troop Carrier Squadron
, part of the 317th Troop Carrier Group
. It had formerly been one of the B-17s sent to the Philippines in the autumn of 1941 with the 19th Bomb Group
and had been converted into a transport after suffering heavy battle damage in a mission
on 25 December 1941.
The sole survivor of the crash was Foye Kenneth Roberts who died at Wichita Falls, Texas
on 4 February 2004.
Due to wartime censorship, nothing of the incident was reported in the media. The Daily Mercury, Mackay's newspaper, reported the following day that a visiting American serviceman had been injured, as well as an editorial expressing the sentiments of locals who knew what had happened. Nothing more appeared in the local media until February 1946, after the war had ended. Victims' relatives received War Department
telegrams which said little more than the serviceman had been killed in an air crash in the south west Pacific.
Australia's second worst aviation disaster, the 1960 TAA Fokker Friendship disaster
, coincidentally also occurred at Mackay.
. The plaques describe the crash and list the men known to have perished as well as the sole survivor.
Another memorial located behind the Australian embassy
in Washington D.C. commemorates the accident. Because embassies are considered foreign soil, the Bakers Creek Memorial Association petitioned American lawmakers to relocate the memorial. After several years of negotiation, a dedication ceremony took place 11 June 2009 at the memorial's new home just northwest of the Selfridge Gate in Fort Myer
, Virginia
.
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft crashed shortly after take-off at Bakers Creek, Queensland
Bakers Creek, Queensland
Bakers Creek is a small town in Queensland, approximately south of Mackay on the Bruce Highway. Its main industry is a large meat processing plant operated by Thomas Borthwick & Sons Pty Ltd. The Bakers Creek watercourse runs through the township...
approximately 8 kilometres (5 mi) south of Mackay
Mackay, Queensland
Mackay is a city on the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia, about north of Brisbane, on the Pioneer River. Mackay is nicknamed the sugar capital of Australia because its region produces more than a third of Australia's cane sugar....
, killing 40 of the 41 military service personnel on board. The crash is Australia's worst aviation disaster by death toll and was the worst accident involving a transport aircraft in the south-western Pacific during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
The aircraft, a Boeing B-17C, serial/tail number 40-2072, known as "Miss Every Morning Fixin" took off from Mackay Airfield
Mackay Airport
Mackay Airport located in Mackay, Queensland, Australia is a major Australian regional airport that services the city of Mackay, with flights to the cities of Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Gladstone, Rockhampton, Townsville and Cairns...
just before dawn at about 6 am in foggy conditions, headed for Port Moresby
Port Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
. Soon after, it made a low altitude turn and a few minutes later, crashed. The cause of the crash remains a mystery.
The six crew and 35 passengers were returning to New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
after an R&R
R&R (military)
R&R, military slang for rest and recuperation , is a term used for the free time of a soldier in the US military or International UN staff serving in non-family duty stations. R&R includes various forms, including mail, sports, film screenings, using the services of prostitutes and leave time...
break. The aircraft was part of the United States Fifth Air Force
Fifth Air Force
The Fifth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces . It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan....
and was operated by the 46th Troop Carrier Squadron
46th Troop Carrier Squadron
The 46th Troop Carrier Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last was assigned to the Fifth Air Force, stationed at Tachikawa Air Base, Japan. It was inactivated on 1 April 1949.-History:...
, part of the 317th Troop Carrier Group
317th Troop Carrier Group
The 317th Troop Carrier Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 317th Tactical Airlift Wing, stationed at Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina...
. It had formerly been one of the B-17s sent to the Philippines in the autumn of 1941 with the 19th Bomb Group
19th Air Refueling Group
The 19th Airlift Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Mobility Command Eighteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Little Rock AFB, Arkansas...
and had been converted into a transport after suffering heavy battle damage in a mission
Battle of the Philippines (1941-42)
The Philippines Campaign or the Battle of the Philippines was the invasion of the Philippines by Japan in 1941–1942 and the defense of the islands by Filipino and United States forces....
on 25 December 1941.
The sole survivor of the crash was Foye Kenneth Roberts who died at Wichita Falls, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
on 4 February 2004.
Due to wartime censorship, nothing of the incident was reported in the media. The Daily Mercury, Mackay's newspaper, reported the following day that a visiting American serviceman had been injured, as well as an editorial expressing the sentiments of locals who knew what had happened. Nothing more appeared in the local media until February 1946, after the war had ended. Victims' relatives received War Department
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
telegrams which said little more than the serviceman had been killed in an air crash in the south west Pacific.
Australia's second worst aviation disaster, the 1960 TAA Fokker Friendship disaster
TAA Fokker Friendship disaster
The crash of Trans Australia Airlines Flight 538, also known as the TAA Fokker Friendship disaster, was the second largest loss of life in an Australian aircraft accident, with 29 deaths. It occurred on 10 June 1960 at Mackay, Queensland, Australia...
, coincidentally also occurred at Mackay.
Memorials
A memorial was constructed in Bakers Creek in 1981 consisting 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 ForceRoyal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
. The plaques describe the crash and list the men known to have perished as well as the sole survivor.
Another memorial located behind the Australian embassy
Embassy of Australia in Washington, D.C.
The Embassy of Australia in Washington, D.C. is the diplomatic mission of the Commonwealth of Australia to the United States. The chancery is located on Embassy Row at 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, at Scott Circle in Washington, D.C....
in Washington D.C. commemorates the accident. Because embassies are considered foreign soil, the Bakers Creek Memorial Association petitioned American lawmakers to relocate the memorial. After several years of negotiation, a dedication ceremony took place 11 June 2009 at the memorial's new home just northwest of the Selfridge Gate in Fort Myer
Fort Myer
Fort Myer is a U.S. Army post adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. It is a small post by U.S...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
See also
- List of disasters in Australia by death toll
- United States Army Air Forces in AustraliaUnited States Army Air Forces in AustraliaDuring World War II, the United States Army Air Forces established a series of airfields in Australia for the collective defense of the country, as well as for conducting offensive operations against the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy...