Aircraft History
Engine was a Continental 0-170-3, Serial Number 156781. Stored aboard an LST with the wings removed, and landed at Saidor, then assembled ashore.

Mission History
Major Kindig, unsatisfied with the results of previous forward air observation of his artillery fire, decided to over fly the area in an effort to observe and correct fire.

Took off from Saidor, at 01:00pm hours approximately 18 miles southeast of Saidor. Low on fuel and out of radio contact, the L-4 was last seen, flying up the Yaut River Valley.

Last observed flying below the level of the clouds obscuring Gabutamon, to a point approximately 2,000 yards directly west of Gabutamon at which time a few artillery rounds landed near the range of hills on which Gabutamon was situated.

Memorials
Both crew members were officially declared dead on February 8, 1945 and are both memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery.

Wreckage
The wreckage of the aircraft was discovered on July 28, 1998 by Alfred Hagen, and the aircraft was first identified by Michael Claringbould.

MIA Case Solved
Reported US Army CILHI the crash site was investigated during January 2000 and assigned code 'PNG 104'. A recovery team returned to the site on March 8, 2000.

Remain and personal effects recovered were positively identified as those of the two crew, and returned to the family members. Kindig was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on October 30, 2001.

Relatives
Michael Kindig (son of Kindig)

References
Thanks to Michael Kindig for assistance and additional information.

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Last Updated
October 1, 2009

L-4

MIA
Resolved

MIA Case Solved by Michael Kindig

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