LEST WE FORGET
Squadron Leader Maxwell Vernon LEWIS
Service No: 224
Born: Melbourne VIC, 27 August 1917
Enlisted in the RAAF: 21 July 1937
Unit: No. 24 Squadron, attached to the USAAF
Died: Air Operations: No “Second Front” (USAAF B25 Mitchell aircraft 41-12441), Lae area PNG, 25 May 1942, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Thomas Vernon Lewis and Irene Gertrude Lewis; husband of Marcia Gwendoline Lewis, of Perth, Western Australia
Roll of Honour: Perth WA
Remembered: Panel 6, Lae Memorial PNG
Remembered: Panel 102, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 25 May 1942, Mitchell B25-441 was one of a formation of four aircraft of the US Army Corps detailed to bomb Lae, Papua New Guinea. The formation was intercepted by 15 Zeros on reaching its target and encountered intense anti-aircraft fire. The bombs were dropped and all the aircraft left the target in formation, but the Zeros continuously attacked 41-12441 which rapidly lost height and was burning and headed out to sea with the fire increasing. The aircraft made a good water landing within sight of Lae, although the cockpit was enveloped in flames and the aircraft sank.
The crew members of 41-12441 were:
Corporal Noah Fresquez (19012349) (Lower Gunner)
Sergeant Wesley J Hayes (6579604) (Gunner)
Second Lieutenant Sidney W Jacobson (O-431455) (Co-Pilot)
Squadron Leader Maxwell Vernon Lewis (224) (Pilot, Supernumerary)
Major Herman F Lowery (O-21622) (Pilot)
Sergeant Carlos E Spillers (6970874) (Flight Engineer)
Sergeant William B Wherry (6246992) (Bombardier)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/42/109