What happened
During a mission to attack Japanese military positions, a heavy bomber operated by the 24th Squadron was flying at low altitude over the Sawoe Sea. The aircraft came under fire from a Japanese fighter pilot and was subsequently shot down. The wreckage crashed into the sea. Of the eleven crew members on board, ten were killed in the incident. One wireless operator and air gunner managed to bail out before the impact but sustained serious injuries.
Findings
The loss of the aircraft was directly caused by enemy action during a combat operation. The crew consisted of a pilot, co-pilot, navigator, flight engineer, bombadier, and six air gunners/wireless operators assigned to the 24th Squadron.