The lost B-26: Remains found at a trek into the heart of Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu

Photos by Andrew Read

South Pacific WWII Museum

This B-26 was lost on September 18th 1943, when Lt. Wilmarth with Lts. Field and Tibbetts and six enlisted men on a flight to Efate from Plaines de Gaiac were lost in bad weather. 

The radio compass was 180 degrees off, so after turning the plane around and heading back for what fortunately was land, Lt. Wilmarth and crew were forced to bail out over Espititu Santo. All men landed safely in or near the shore, except one man, Pfc. Erwin R. Wilkening, who was lost at sea. 

The story of the 69th Bombardment Squadron (M) really begins with the acquisition of B-26 aircraft in November 1941, by the 38th Bomb Group, of which this squadron was a part. 

The group, composed of the 69th, 70th, and 71st Squadrons, and the 15th Reconnaissance Squadron, had until that time only seven B-18’s and five PT-17’s. 

In January 1942, the group was ordered to leave Jackson, Mississippi, where it had been stationed for several months, and the personnel departed in sections on January 17th, 18th, and 19th respectively for San Francisco, California, and overseas duty.

During the 69th’s 13 months of overseas duty they had carried out 40 combat missions from Guadalcanal, and it is conservatively estimated that from June to December 1942, when the squadron was at New Caledonia and Efate, it accomplished more than 300 missions. 

For approximately six weeks alone there were six daily patrol missions southwestern of the Noumea Harbor, not to mention the many searches for lost planes and surface vessels, alerts with torpedoes to intercept the Japanese fleet, escorting of fighters to Efate and Espirtu Santo, and the ferrying of torpedoes to Espiritu Santo.

SOURCES: HERE, HERE AND HERE