90th Bomb Group Message Board

Message:
At 2100 on the night of February 12, a 400th aircraft piloted by 1st Lt Donald A Rininisland, flying with part of Lt. Willard G. Hatfield's crew, took off from Port Moresby on a mission to Rabaul and disappeared. No trace was ever found of the crew or aircraft. At the expected time for its return a radar station picked up an unidentified aircraft over Buna. The aircraft was followed to Hood Point on the southwest coast of New Guinea, which is about 60 miles southeast of Port Moresby. The aircraft did not turn northwestwardly after passing Hood Point, but continued out into the Coral Sea until the radar station lost contact. It was strange that no radio contact was established, and there was no indication the aircraft was in trouble.
Other crewmen lost with Rininisland were 2nd Lt Evan P. Hughes, 2nd Lt Franklin L. Peck, 2nd Lt. Lloyd A. Stuehmer, 2nd Lt. Olin J. Wimberly, T/Sgt. Robert H. Blocker, T/Sgt Alexander Kouski, T/Sgt. Bernard T. Kwiatkowski, S/Sgt. John F. Coston, S/Sgt. James F. Oliver and S/Sgt. Joe R. Pacheco.