B-26 "Wabash Cannonball" 40-1499 South Pacific

I found these newspaper articles (below) on the B-26 "Wabash Cannonball" 40-1499 & crew in South Pacific.

On June 10, 1942 assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 22nd Bombardment Group (22nd BG), Headquarters Squadron (HQ). Nicknamed "Wabash Cannonball" below was Japanese kanji. Squadron Number 20 was painted in yellow on the nose. Assigned to pilot 1st Lt. Leon G. Lewis with crew chiefs Schmigel and Thrower.

On August 17, 1942 one of ten B-26 Marauders parked at 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby fully fueled and armed with 500 pound bombs. On the ground, there was no advanced warning of a Japanese air raid against 7 Mile Drome by G4M1 Betty bombers from the 4th Kokutai and Misawa Kokutai escorted by A6M2 Zeros from the Tainan Kokutai.

In attempting to take off to avoid being hit on the ground, B-26 40-1493 plus this bomber piloted by 1st Lt. Leon G. Lewis managed to take off as the bombs began exploding. This B-26 was hit by shrapnel from the exploding bombs, knocking out the hydraulic system. Flying at low altitude to avoid being intercepted, this B-26 force landed at 12 Mile Drome and came to rest at the end of the runway with the nose impacted into the tree line. Aboard, the crew were unhurt.

Pacific Wrecks



18 Jul 1943, 43 - The Baltimore Sun at Newspapers.com
The Baltimore Sun
Baltimore, Maryland
18 Jul 1943, Sun • Page 43





The Dayton Herald
Dayton, Ohio
16 Nov 1942, Mon • Page 8