Theory Of Bomber Crash

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32166, 9 December 1969, Page 1

Theory Of Bomber Crash

A former Australian serviceman living in Christchurch believes he can identify a United States bomber which crashed in the Celebes in World War 11, and whose wreckage has been reported found by peasants.

Mr A. D. Foord, formerly of Melbourne, said yesterday that he was on a raid in , which a 824 Liberator i crashed after an attack on • Macassar in the Celebes. t The peasants have found a i destroyed bomber and the , skeletons of its crew on ' Mount Latimodjong, a 12,000 ft peak.

Mr Foord, who was a warrant officer in the R.A.A.F.,

gave the date on which the Liberator crashed as October 29, 1944. He produced a log book showing an entry about distress calls from the Liberator which disappeared without trace.

He said that the crew of 11 Australians and an observer were killed. The observer was an Australian infantry forces major unauthorised to be on the mission.

Mr Foord, who was an air gunner in another Liberator flying from Darwin in the last three years of the war, said that the crashed aircraft belonged to the 580th Squadron of the United States Air Force but the crews of the 18 Liberators were Australians.

On the day of the attack on Macassar, the squadron ' took off from Darwin at 5.45 ■ p.m, and spent about two hours over enemy targets. On the way home, Mr ■ Foord’S Liberator picked up i the distress calls which confused everyone because the position report did not make sense. He said he. felt sure the aircraft was the one which had just been found.