Date of birth:

June 25th, 1914 (Denmark)

Date of death:

January 23rd, 2012 (California, United States)

Nationality:

American

My father, Staff Sergeant Niels Cornelius "Corny" Nielsen 5th Army Air Force, was scheduled to be an observer on B-25C #41-12502 during a training run in which the Pruth wreck was to be strafed on 5 February 1943. However, he was called off the flight to assist with paymaster duties at one of the other air bases outside of Port Moresby. Meanwhile, the B-25 struck the mast of the wreck during a strafing run and crashed, killing all aboard. Upon returning to Port Moresby, Niels C. did his paymaster duties for his own outfit and without knowing of the wreck just hours earlier, was instructed to strike from the payroll all his buddies who had been in that plane. If he had been on that plane, I would not be here.

Niels C. was drafted into the army as a Danish citizen on a US visa in California, and became a naturalized citizen during his time in Port Moresby. He took and passed his citizenship exam in the Port Moresby Hotel. He survived the war, settled in California, and passed away in January of 2012 at age 96.

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• Photo 1: Niels J. Nielsen
• - Niels J. Nielsen

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