Having actually gone "Missing" on the above date, he was not officially declared by the military as being dead until December 5, 1945.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Danforth served as a Sergeant & Engineer / Gunner on B-25 #41-12462, 13th Bomber Squadron, 3rd Bomber Group, Light, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on August 10, 1940 prior to the war. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed in the production of bakery products and also as Single, without dependents.
B-25 #41-12462, which was one of six B-25's, took off from 14 Mile Drome, North Capital District, Papua New Guinea on a bombing mission against Lae Airfield, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea.
After a successful bombing mission and while returning to base they were attacked by approximately 8 Japanese Fighters. Their right engine was totally disabled by flak and the pilot, 1st. Lt. Keel, decided to make a water landing which he did successfully and the entire crew made it to a raft.
While in the raft they were strafed by a Japanese Zero and the Pilot, 1st. Lt. Keel, instructed everyone to start swimming in different directions which they did.
It was later reported by Corp. Louis E. Murphy ( the only survivor ), that after the strafing he could still here everyone else talking. He eventually swam to shore and survived the war.
It was later discovered that 1st. Lt. Keel, and possibly others from the crew, were picked up by the Japanese. 1st. Lt. Keel was believed to have been "executed" while a POW. His dog tag was later found in a mass grave on Matupi Island, East New Britain Province Papua New Guinea.
Danforth was declared "Missing In Action" on this mission during the war.
He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Service # 14006575
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-25 #41-12462:
Bengel, George H ~ T/Sgt, Bombardier, PA
Keel, Henry A ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, FL
Marsh, Thomas T ~ Sgt, Radio Operator, RAAF
Reed, Durward R ~ 1st Lt, Co-Pilot, OH
Wilkins, Danforth E ~ Sgt, Engineer, LA
This bomber included a member of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The radio operator Sgt. Thomas T. Marsh seen above.
( Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Danforth served as a Sergeant & Engineer / Gunner on B-25 #41-12462, 13th Bomber Squadron, 3rd Bomber Group, Light, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on August 10, 1940 prior to the war. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed in the production of bakery products and also as Single, without dependents.
B-25 #41-12462, which was one of six B-25's, took off from 14 Mile Drome, North Capital District, Papua New Guinea on a bombing mission against Lae Airfield, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea.
After a successful bombing mission and while returning to base they were attacked by approximately 8 Japanese Fighters. Their right engine was totally disabled by flak and the pilot, 1st. Lt. Keel, decided to make a water landing which he did successfully and the entire crew made it to a raft.
While in the raft they were strafed by a Japanese Zero and the Pilot, 1st. Lt. Keel, instructed everyone to start swimming in different directions which they did.
It was later reported by Corp. Louis E. Murphy ( the only survivor ), that after the strafing he could still here everyone else talking. He eventually swam to shore and survived the war.
It was later discovered that 1st. Lt. Keel, and possibly others from the crew, were picked up by the Japanese. 1st. Lt. Keel was believed to have been "executed" while a POW. His dog tag was later found in a mass grave on Matupi Island, East New Britain Province Papua New Guinea.
Danforth was declared "Missing In Action" on this mission during the war.
He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Service # 14006575
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-25 #41-12462:
Bengel, George H ~ T/Sgt, Bombardier, PA
Keel, Henry A ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, FL
Marsh, Thomas T ~ Sgt, Radio Operator, RAAF
Reed, Durward R ~ 1st Lt, Co-Pilot, OH
Wilkins, Danforth E ~ Sgt, Engineer, LA
This bomber included a member of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The radio operator Sgt. Thomas T. Marsh seen above.
( Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Having actually gone "Missing" on the above date, he was not officially declared by the military as being dead until December 5, 1945.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Danforth served as a Sergeant & Engineer / Gunner on B-25 #41-12462, 13th Bomber Squadron, 3rd Bomber Group, Light, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on August 10, 1940 prior to the war. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed in the production of bakery products and also as Single, without dependents.
B-25 #41-12462, which was one of six B-25's, took off from 14 Mile Drome, North Capital District, Papua New Guinea on a bombing mission against Lae Airfield, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea.
After a successful bombing mission and while returning to base they were attacked by approximately 8 Japanese Fighters. Their right engine was totally disabled by flak and the pilot, 1st. Lt. Keel, decided to make a water landing which he did successfully and the entire crew made it to a raft.
While in the raft they were strafed by a Japanese Zero and the Pilot, 1st. Lt. Keel, instructed everyone to start swimming in different directions which they did.
It was later reported by Corp. Louis E. Murphy ( the only survivor ), that after the strafing he could still here everyone else talking. He eventually swam to shore and survived the war.
It was later discovered that 1st. Lt. Keel, and possibly others from the crew, were picked up by the Japanese. 1st. Lt. Keel was believed to have been "executed" while a POW. His dog tag was later found in a mass grave on Matupi Island, East New Britain Province Papua New Guinea.
Danforth was declared "Missing In Action" on this mission during the war.
He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Service # 14006575
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-25 #41-12462:
Bengel, George H ~ T/Sgt, Bombardier, PA
Keel, Henry A ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, FL
Marsh, Thomas T ~ Sgt, Radio Operator, RAAF
Reed, Durward R ~ 1st Lt, Co-Pilot, OH
Wilkins, Danforth E ~ Sgt, Engineer, LA
This bomber included a member of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The radio operator Sgt. Thomas T. Marsh seen above.
( Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Danforth served as a Sergeant & Engineer / Gunner on B-25 #41-12462, 13th Bomber Squadron, 3rd Bomber Group, Light, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on August 10, 1940 prior to the war. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed in the production of bakery products and also as Single, without dependents.
B-25 #41-12462, which was one of six B-25's, took off from 14 Mile Drome, North Capital District, Papua New Guinea on a bombing mission against Lae Airfield, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea.
After a successful bombing mission and while returning to base they were attacked by approximately 8 Japanese Fighters. Their right engine was totally disabled by flak and the pilot, 1st. Lt. Keel, decided to make a water landing which he did successfully and the entire crew made it to a raft.
While in the raft they were strafed by a Japanese Zero and the Pilot, 1st. Lt. Keel, instructed everyone to start swimming in different directions which they did.
It was later reported by Corp. Louis E. Murphy ( the only survivor ), that after the strafing he could still here everyone else talking. He eventually swam to shore and survived the war.
It was later discovered that 1st. Lt. Keel, and possibly others from the crew, were picked up by the Japanese. 1st. Lt. Keel was believed to have been "executed" while a POW. His dog tag was later found in a mass grave on Matupi Island, East New Britain Province Papua New Guinea.
Danforth was declared "Missing In Action" on this mission during the war.
He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Service # 14006575
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-25 #41-12462:
Bengel, George H ~ T/Sgt, Bombardier, PA
Keel, Henry A ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, FL
Marsh, Thomas T ~ Sgt, Radio Operator, RAAF
Reed, Durward R ~ 1st Lt, Co-Pilot, OH
Wilkins, Danforth E ~ Sgt, Engineer, LA
This bomber included a member of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The radio operator Sgt. Thomas T. Marsh seen above.
( Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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