Mission History
Departed Goodenough Island on a search and rescue mission in the Louisiade Archipelago. Afterwards, the Catalina would land at Dobodura.  Instead, it crashed and burnt on impact, east of Pongani, killing the entire crew.

Wreckage
WO2 D.C. Frame, a Police Officer, based at Tufi located the wreck on March 16, 1944.

Memorials
The entire crew was declared dead the day of the crash. Their remains were recovered. Two of the crew are buried at Manila American Cemetery. Smith at Plot N Row 6 Grave 183. McElhiney at Plot D Row 7 Grave 99.

John Douglas adds:
"I visited this site in 1991, took a boat from Oro Bay to the crash Waiwa village.  Villagers were reluctant to show us the site, and required a fee to see it.  We then landed at beach at Waiwa Bay, came to wing tip, up a hillside, found the main body of wreckage on the ridge, with tail on top.  Must have come in low clipped the wing and crashed.  Found burnt remains of a suitcase, latches and handle. Found some US Navy cutlery. Bones sticking out of the wreckage, found machine guns and a big stainless steel anchor.  Later, got video people from Australia to film it [for Winged Ghosts of the Pacific], and the also found bones.  Brian Bennett went there a few years ago, but was not able to find bones."

References
Winged Ghosts of the Pacific documents this wreck and bones present in 1995
USAF Serial Number lists 43-3262 as assigned to the 49th BS incorrectly

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Last Updated
October 6, 2009

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