USMC
MAG 25
VMJ-253
Nicolas Duprey 2001
Crew Chief Charlie Mottram (Ohio) (KIA)
Passenger 6 passengers (KIA)
Crashed October 9, 1942
Aircraft History
Construction Number 4437. US Navy Bureau Number 01981.
Wartime History
Crashed into Ousassio Hill after a night take off from Tontouta
Airport. One
engine failed, the crew of eight were all killed. Ousassio Hill was
then named Mount Kimball after that accident, and a park was named Mottram
park in the home town of the crew chief in Ohio.
There are around 20 inscriptions (from the left stab to the door) presumably from passengers. Among them are: "USS Ibex", a tanker ship. "Joan Harlow" the actress. Three are names and addresses.
Nicolas
Duprey adds in 2001:
"Three of the inscriptions contain an address,
we have send letters to these adress since july, only one of the
3 letter came back. One is:
Carol J. McCutcheon
3940 - 4th Ave
Sacramento California"
References
Thanks to Nicolas
Duprey for this information, photographs and research. Thanks to Ewan Stevenson for Bureau Number and Construction Number.
R4D1
Photo Archive
