Late April-May 1943: While the 500th squadron's ground echelon was on its arduous ship voyage westward, the air echelon flew its B-25s across without too many problems. From Hamilton Field, the jumping-off point north of San Francisco, all of the 500th B-25s made the long flight to Hickam Field in Hawaiii, with virtually no problems.1/Lt. Lee A. Ow set the record in the 500th, logging only 11 hours and 50 minutes for the 2400-mile all-over-water flight. During a stopover in New Caledonia, 1/Lt. Delosse Poe was injured in a jeep accident and hospitalized. Shortly after takeoff from New Caledonia, 1/Lt. John P. McLean, Jr. and, on one engine, returned to the airfield he had just left. There, unfortunately, he found an Australian aircraft parked on the runway. McLean was forced to use only the limited runway available for landing. His B-25 ran off the strip, sheared off the landing gear and the B-25 caught fire just after the plane came to a stop. All crew members survived.
After an overnight stay in Brisbane, Australia the flight crews proceeded northward to Reid River (a few miles west of Townsville), There they spent the next several weeks in intensive training with a squadron of the 22nd Bomb Group (B-26s), which had recently returned from extensive combat in New Guinea.
1-12 May, 1944: The 500th and other 345th Bomb Group squadrons flew almost daily missions to miscellaneous targets in New Guinea.
13 May, 1944: At Nadzab, New Guinea, Generals Ennis C. Whitehead andJarred V. Crabbe made the first formal presentation of medals and decorations to the 500th and other squadrons, since the 345th Group arrived overseas.
14-26 May, 1944: The 500th flew miscellaneous missions, mainly against the Dagua, Wakde and Sarmi areas in New Guinea.
1-10 May, 1945: The Formosa Offensive. 500th and other squadrons attacked trains, railroad tracks, depots and bridges along much of the Annamese segment of railroad, as well as the town of Kari in S.W. Formosa.
10-12 May, 1945: The 345th Group moved its camp from San Marcelino to Clark Field, where they finally found "civilization", something new for them since arriving overseas.
17 May, 1945: The 500th participates in the 345th Group's sweep of Western Formosa. One of the 500th B-25s, piloted by 2/Lt J. T. Lackey, was hit by AA fire and downed. All on board died in the crash except tail gunner, Cpl. John Shott, who was eventually taken prisoner by, and suffered the tortures of, the Japanese. (NOTE: John Shott survived the war and is currently a LIFE member of our 500th Association.)
18-31 May, 1945: The 500th continues to particpate in the Group's almost daily missions to and sweeps of Formosa.