This B-17E arrived in Hawaii on

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April 5, 1942

A Bleak and Stormy Easter Sunday Evening on Oahu

Two US military patrol aircraft crashed within hours of each other in the dark stormy skies of Oahu this night.

The other aircraft was a Navy PBY-5A out of NAS Kaneohe. That crash was commemorated last year on the 64th anniversary of the crash. The night of 4/5/42 claimed 19 US aviators.

This US particular Army air Corps B-17E arrived in Hawaii on 18 Dec 41, 11 days after the attack on Pearl Harbor. It crashed into the cliffs of Mt. Keahiakahoe near the Nu'uanu Pali less than 4 months later on Easter Sunday, 5 April 1942. This crash occurred only a few hours later than the PBY-5A that crashed at Makapu'u on the same evening. We have thus far, been unable to find detailed accounts of the investigation, other than a brief narrative and the names and ranks of the crew members.

According to a July 2006 account by Mr. Robert Gaskill, a 42nd bomb Squadron member at the time, and who was the roommate of Lt. Bushee the bombardier of the aircraft; The aircraft was on a combat patrol looking for the Japanese submarine that was reportedly refueling a seaplane that had recently dropped bombs on Mt. Tantalus near Honolulu .

Unexploded 500 lb bombs rolled down the ravine of the site approximately 30 years after the crash during a flash flood. Unconfirmed reports relate that some of the wreckage was dragged down from the site in the mid 90s.

This site should only be visited by very experienced climbers as it is very steep in places with evidence of frequent landslides, making the approach extremely dangerous, possibly life threatening.

During the first week of February 2007, two nephews of SSGT Mathias Donart, in Honolulu for the NFL Pro Bowl, asked to be shown the site of the accident. They had contacted us at the HAPS website via an internet search of Donart's name and had contacted us in late 2006. (See photo gallery below)

HAPS received the necessary government permissions placed a granite crew memorial at the Pali Lookout on April 1, 2007. The dedication ceremony was performed by USAF personnel from Hickam AFB on the 65th anniversary, April 5, 2007. at 10:00am at the Nu'uanu pali Lookout.

Speaking at the ceremony was Colonel Stan Osserman, commander of the 154th Mission Support Group, Hickam AFB, and the invocation and blessing was done by Chaplain Michael Weber, LtCol, also of Hickam. Also in attendance from Hickam was Dr. Tim Keck, Command Historian of the Pacific Air Forces and Senior Historian Steve Diamond, also of PACAF. News coverage of the event was provided by KHNL Channel 8 TV Click to view TV news report of Leland Kim

and the (Click to view) Honolulu Star Bulletin article.

According to the State Parks Division over 1.1 million people visit this park annually. If only a small percentage of them stop to reflect on these aviator's ultimate sacrifice, we will have served our purpose...

Only Newspaper Report:

Official USAAF Cable of Accident:

Photo Gallery