GRAPHIC DIARY DETAILS OF
THE CARNAGE FOLLOWING
CRASH OF A B-24 LIBERATOR
AT IRON RANGE ON 16 NOVEMBER 1942

Twelve B-24 Liberators of the 90th Bomb Group, including seven from the 320th Bomb Squadron, taxied into their takeoff position at Iron Range's "Gordon"  airfield just before midnight on 16 November 1942 for a bombing mission on Rabaul.

B-24 Liberator #41-23942 "Bombs to Nip On" piloted by Lt. Paul Larson of the 400th Squadron of the 90th Bombardment Group clipped B-24 "Big Emma" and crashed during take-off. The eleventh B-24 in line veered off the runway into two parked B-24 Liberators and a B-17 Flying Fortress. The B-24 caught fire and its bomb load exploded. Casualties were eleven US Service personnel killed and four aircraft written.

Doctor John T Klausner was based at Iron Range at the time of this horrific incident and made some entries in his diary of the carnage that he witnessed after the crash. His grandson Kim Buckmaster translated the Doctors hard to read writing as follows. Some of the transcribing may not be 100% accurate and a few spaces were left where words could not be read:-

November 17, 1942
 

At 8pm (11-16-42) Willie and I saw 8 flares fired at 5 minute intervals from the direction of the beach. Notified Rodger and RAAF called. Will investigate. ¾ moon.

Awakened at midnight by B-24 close overhead. Seemed to be taking off. Suspected another death and rush of bodies to Townsville for autopsy. Awakened by a yell at 12:30am. Sky blood-red. Followed in a second or two by a terrific blast. Impression-Jap raid and flares and bombing. Waited in bed for next explosion. All dark as through flare had burned out. Asked Mo what he thought it was. Then phone rang. Warren said they thought a B-24 blew up. I called Base apuation. Line broken. So called med tent back and said to start ambulance. We’d go down to the line. Ivy yelled over “What was it?” I told him I suspected a B-24 exploded. Me, Willie, Mo and Gokes and my 4 med dept men half dressed ran to ambulance and whizzed down the 2 ½ mi stretch to the “line” . As we approached flames were seen through the woods and cars parked on side of road. We started down to line and were warned back. Everyone was running away. The gasoline dumps were exploding and we found the explosion was from 3 1000lb bombs. Others were still there unexploded and machine gun bullets were going everywhere. Everyone got out of the ambulance but my 4 boys and myself. We went down to runway and parked. 2 other ambulances there. One had windows broken out and shrapnel through it. It had been “_____ out” the take off of a B-24’s first mission and this was the 7th plane. Veered into parked planes. Wrecked noses on two B-24’s and set them afire. A B-17 near was blasted by the bombs as were the 3 B-24’s worst _____. Pieces of planes and men were found 300 yards from the wreck. The fire was blown in all directions and fuel dumps started going up. The ambulance rushed down to the bombing planes and parked 75 feet away. The crew got out to help a burning man running from one of the planes when the bomb exploded knocking them off their feet, damaging ambulance and disintegrating men and planes. Recovered a dead bombardier in nose of first plane struck and shoveled pieces of burned bodies. Legs-arms-hands-heads-from 10 other men. Our crew removed 3. I found dog tags on 2 of them under the stumps of bodies. Pilot and co pilot were blown 100 yards. Still together strapped to their seats. One’s head lying on the others chest and a piece of fiery shrapnel sticking out of his chest. One’s abdomen was blown open and the other had both feet blown off and one arm. Our third patient was just thorax - head- arms. Removed remains to hospital. 2 badly burned cases there were dying. Another had just died of lead poisoning and this afternoon a third. Searched woods and burning areas for 2 hours. Returned home to bed at 3AM. Thanked God for his blessings in caring for mine and me. Prayed for the poor kids, and their folks, who died so violently. Lost much of my interest in flying.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Kim Buckmaster, grandson of Dr. John T. Klausner, 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 11 June 2020

This page last updated 11 June 2020