LB-30 LIBERATOR DESTROYED
DURING A JAPANESE BOMBING RAID ON DARWIN
ON 19 FEBRUARY 1942

On 19 February 1942, a USAAF LB-30A, AL521, Liberator, of the 7th Bomb Group, was destroyed on the ground during the first Japanese bombing raid on Darwin in the Northern Territory.

The Captain of AL521 was Lt. Clyde B. Kelsay, of the 7th BG. Only one crew member, Sgt. Hugh M. McTavish (6549162), was killed, with Sgt Leslie W. Beck, the upper turret gunner being wounded. This aircraft was the long nose LB30 export version.

At 0615 hrs on 18 February 1942, Lt. Kelsay in LB‑30A, No. AL‑521, of the 7th Bomb Group had taken off from Malang in Java for Darwin, Australia with Brig. Gen. Patrick Hurley, his aide 1st Lt. Bobb Glenn and Lt. Col. Warren J. Clear as passengers. There may have been other passengers.

A party consisting of Maj. Gen. Brereton, Col. Eubank, Air Marshall Sir Richard Pierce, Brig. Gen. Patrick Hurley (later Ambassador to New Zealand) and 1st. Lt. Bobb Glenn (Hurley's aide) had earlier arrived in Malang with Lt Kelsay in LB-30A Liberator at 1730 hrs on 17 February 1942 for the purpose of awarding decorations to members of the 19th Bomb Group.

Brig. Gen. Patrick Hurley had been sent to the Southwest Pacific Area arriving there some time before 12 February 1942 to expedite the chartering of ships and inducing ship's captains and crew to run the Japanese blockade to get supplies in behind enemy lines to the Philippines. Whilst in Melbourne Hurley had heard that General Wavell's headquarters in Java had refused permission for contracted ships in Java to be used as blockade runners. Hurley immediately decided to fly to Wavell's Headquarters personally to do whatever he could to get the ships released. Hurley and Glenn flew out of Laverton Airfield for Java on 12 February 1942 in a C-47 Dakota. Hurley had attended the award ceremony for the 19th Bomb Group in Malang on their return to Australia. Brig. Gen. Patrick Hurley was wounded in the shoulder at his hotel on the Esplanade in Darwin during the first Japanese bombing raid on Darwin on 19 February 1942.

The following is a list of Lt. Kelsay's crew of the 9th Bomb Squadron in an LB-30 which left the USA for Java on 14 December 1941. It is most likely the same crew that operated LB-30A Liberator, AL521 which was destroyed on the ground at Darwin on 19 February 1942:-

REFERENCE BOOKS

"Tocumwal to Tarakan"
"Australians and the Consolidated B-24 Liberator"
By Michael V. Nelmes

11th Bomb Squadron War Diary at Maxwell AFB (source for crew names of LB-30A Liberator AL521)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Edward Rogers for his assistance with this web page.

Can anyone help me with more information on this crash?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 19 August 1999

This page last updated 15 September 2024