Lieutenant Leo Mitchell Eminger
Distinguished Flying Cross w/ Oak Leaf Cluster
Leo Mitchell Eminger was born on March 15, 1917 to Mr. and Mrs Paul Eminger. Raised in Floyd NM, he graduated from Floyd HS and then enrolled at NMAMC in 1936 studying Agriculture. In June 1940 he graduated with his Bachelor of Science degree with Honors. Following graduation he joined the US Army Air Force and trained as a navigator on B-17’s. On December 7, 1941, Lt Eminger was aboard B-17 C #40-2063 when it arrived over Pearl Harbor during the surprise Japanese attack. The plane was part of a six ship formation assigned to the 38th Reconnaissance Squadron from Albuquerque NM that was being deployed to the Pacific theater in the build up to war and was forced to land amidst the attacking Japanese aircraft. Following the outbreak of hostilities Lt Eminger was assigned to the 11th Bombardment Group, 42nd Bomb Squadron operating out of the Hawaiian Islands. The group moved to the New Hebrides on July 22, 1942. They bombed airfields, supply dumps, ships, docks, troop positions, and other objectives in the South Pacific and received a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC) for those operations. In September, 1942, the group continued operations during the Battle for Guadalcanal.
On September 24 1942, he was serving as navigator aboard B-17E #41-2420 “Bessie the Jap Basher” on a four ship mission against surface ships at Shortland harbor in the Solomon Islands. Severely damaged in aerial combat with over 20 Japanese fighter aircraft, the ship flew 290 miles at sea level in an attempt to reach Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. Just four minutes flying time short of their destination the ship ditched in Domo Cove off Guadalcanal. The plane landed intact and remains visible and accessible today. The only crew members ever heard from again were the pilot, Captain Charles E Norton and Sgt Bruce Osborne. Captain Norton was captured by Japanese troops and died upon reaching their headquarters. Sgt Norton’s skeleton was discovered in the jungle by navy sea bees some time later. No further word has ever been learned on the fate of the remaining crew members. Today, Lt Leo Mitchell Eminger is memorialized at the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery. He was 25 years of age at the time of his death.