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  F4U-1 Corsair Bureau Number 02402  
USMC
MAW-2
MAG-12
VMF-321
"Hell’s Angels"


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Justin Taylan 2006
Pilot  Captain Marion R. McCown, Jr., O-009610 USMCR (MIA / KIA, BR) Charleston, SC
Crashed  January 20, 1944

Aircraft History
Built by Vought. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as F4U-1 Corsair bureau number 02402. Disassembled and shipped overseas to the South Pacific (SOPAC).

Wartime History
Assigned to the United States Marine Corps (USMC), Marine Air Wing 2 (MAW-2), Marine Air Group 12 (MAG-12), Marine Fighting Squadron 321 (VMF-321) "Hell’s Angels". No known nickname, nose art or squadron number.

Mission History
On January 20, 1944 took off from Torokina Airfield on Bougainville piloted by Captain Marion R. McCown, Jr. as one of eleven F4U Corsairs on a mission to escort B-25 Mitchells from 42nd Bombardment Group (42nd BG) on a bombing mission against Vunakanau Airfield near Rabaul. Also escorting were F4U Corsairs from VMF-211, P-38 Lightnings and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) P-40 Kitthawks. The weather was sunny with 25 mile visibility with a cloud ceiling at 6,000'.

Over the target, Japanese aircraft intercepted, and McCown reportedly engaged a Zero at 4,000' while another moved to attack him. Another F4U cleared his tail, claiming the attacking Zero as shot down, but McCown was never seen again. When this plane failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Also lost was F4U Corsair 17914 pilot 1st Lt. Roger Hugh Brindos (POW) and F4U Corsair 55835 pilot 1st Lt. Robert W. Marshall (MIA).

Wreckage
In fact, this Corsair crashed into a stream bank near Viveren village and Mount Varzin. During 1983, the crash site was first discovered including the engine, tail and rear fuselage and wings. The remains of the pilot were present at the wreck. A portion of the wreckage with U.S. Navy (USN) Bureau Number (BuNo) 02402 was recovered by Brian Bennett during the early 1980s and is displayed today at the Kokopo Museum.

Brian Bennett adds:
"This crash site was, to my knowledge first identified by a Terry McMahon who was at that time a plumbing trades teacher at the Rabaul Malaguna Vocational Centre. Terry had found the site and also a Identification disc [dog tag] of Captain M. C. McCown. I remember that he showed me the dog tag but would not hand it over so that i could forward it to CILHI. In 1984, I visited the site and managed to locate nearly on the surface some cranium fragments which I retrieved and also reported this to CILHI. The number 02402 was the Navy Bu No and was on the vertical stabilizer in small letters maybe 1.5" high. I removed the number at the time I first visited the site in the early 1980s. donated this piece to the Kokopo Museum with rest of my collection in late 1989. It is quite likely that the Navy records are in error, there should be no great surprise at this."

Justin Taylan visited the site in July 2006:
"I visited this crash site after the visit by JPAC earlier that month. The wreckage was the same as Brian Bennett described to me in the 1980s. Locals who had assisted in the recovery recounted stories about what was found by the team."

Recovery of Remains
This crash site was visited by CILHI / JPAC at least three occasions. (1) According to A Bond of Brothers "in 1991, when Army researchers visited the site, they didn't find sufficient remains to identify with DNA." (2) Later, In July 2006, another JPAC team revisited the site and found additional remains. (3) In May 2008, JPAC again visited the site and recovered additional remains.

On May 14, 2008 the suspected remains of Lt Allan S. Harrison III and Captain Marion R. McCown were recovered, flown to Port Moresby PNGDF HQ, then flown to Hawaii for further identification. On December 19, 2008 the Department of Defense (DoD) announced McCown was officially identified and accounted-for.

Memorials
McCown was declared dead on January 16, 1946. Posthumously, he was promoted to the rank of Major. He earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. After McCown was identified, a rosette was placed next to his name indicating he was recovered.

On January 18, 2009 McCown was buried at Unitarian Church Cemetery in Charleston, SC next to his mother, sister, and grandparents. His grave has the epitaph "Returned home Jan 18, 2009 you are not forgotten". The graves are closer to Archdale Street, between the church and Gage Hall.

During 2009, nephew John Almeida donated McCown artifacts to the American Military Museum Charleston, SC. They created a display about his life and service with his dress uniform, flight log, aviator wings, name strip, Air Medal and other items. When the museum temporarily closed, the fate of this display is unknown.

Relatives
John Almeida (nephew of McCown)

References
Note, some records incorrectly state McCown was piloting F4U Corsair 17448, but in fact he was flying this aircraft, F4U 02402 or possibly switched planes prior to take off. Also, squadron records list his surname as "Mc Gown".
Navy Serial Number Search Results - F4U-1 Corsair 02402
USN Overseas Aircraft Loss List January 1944 incorrectly lists "McGown" (sic) and as the pilot of F4U 17448.
Aviators Flight Log Book - Marion R. McCown, Jr. - January 1944
"Date: 20 [January 1944] / Type of machine: F4U-1 / [BuNo] Number: 02402 / Duration of flight: [blank] / Character of flight: combat / Pilot: self [McCown] / Remarks: Missing In Action, Rabaul area".
NARA "Marine Fighter Squadron 321 (VMF-321) War Diary January 1944" pages 2, 3
(Page 2) "Roster of Flight Echelon - Mc Cown, Marion R. Jr. Captain USMCR"
(Page 3) "Mc Cown, Marion R. Capt. Missing In Action 20 Jan 44"
(Page 27) "Forces Engaged: Wardle, Harmon, See, Whiting, Hames, Mc Cown, Griffith, Adam, Brindos, Samuelson, Marshall / Losses: VMF-321, Capt. Mc Cown, Lts. Brindos and Marshall Missing"
(Page 28) "Narrative Account: ...After scissoring once, Lt. See lost sight of Lts. Brindos, and Marshall, the other section... Capt. Mc Cown, and Lts. Brindos and Marshall failed to return from the mission."
(Page 29) "Approximately 40 Zekes and 7 Tonys were seen over the area."
NARA "Aircraft Action Report (AAR) VMF-321 January 20 1944 Report No. 13" pages 88-91
(Page 89) "Capt. M. R. Mc Cown, Jr. / Cause: Unknown / Missing In Action"
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Marion R. McCown Jr.
"Major McCown's remains have been recovered, identified and interred at a private cemetery in Charleston, SC"
FindAGrave - Maj Marion Ryan McCown, Jr (photos, obituary, tablets of the missing)
FindAGrave - Maj Marion Ryan McCown, Jr (photos, Unitarian Church Cemetery)
DPMO News Release "Marine Pilot Missing In Action From WWII Is Identified" December 19, 2008
Service Personnel Not Recovered Following WWII via Wayback Machine October 1, 2009
Six decades and half a world away, by K. Baron and B. Bender May 25, 2008
"Records incorrectly state McCown was piloting F4U 17448, but in fact he was flying this aircraft, F4U 02402 (or possibly switched planes prior to take off)."
A Bond of Brothers by Kevin Baron and Bryan Bender May 26, 2008
On May 14, [2008] the suspected remains of Lieutenant Allan S. Harrison III [pilot F4U Corsair 55908] and Captain Marion R. McCown were placed in a specially designed transfer cases and carried into a small chapel at the headquarters of the Papua New Guinea Defense Force, in the island nation's capital city of Port Moresby."
The Post and Courier Charleston.net "A patriot's return" by Brian Hicks December 14, 2008
You Are Not Forgotten (2013) by Bryan Bender mentions this loss
Thanks to Brian Bennett for additional information

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Last Updated
March 28, 2023

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F4U

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