The Texas Terror
In the pre-dawn hours of the morning of December 18, 1942, a B-24 Liberator with the serial number 41-23825 and the nickname “Texas Terror” took off from RAAF Amberley. The bomber had rolled off the assembly line of Consolidated Aircraft Corporation's San Diego plant in August. The new aircraft had undergone modifications at Amberley and was one of several being ferried to Iron Range that day. On board was a crew of five:
Captain James E. Gumaer Jr., Pilot
2nd Lieutenant Dewey G. Hooper, Co-pilot
2nd Lieutenant David Lowe, Navigator
Technical Sergeant Waldo E. Kellner, Engineer
Staff Sergeant Walter E. Haydt, Radio Operator