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| USAAF 13th AF 419th NFS  USAAF c1944 |
Pilot Captain Howard G. Daniel, O-885420 (MIA / KIA) Blue Mound, KS Radio/Radar 2nd Lt. Harold E. Ozmun, 2043159 (MIA / KIA) Cushing, OK Gunner Sgt William W. Yahn, 32584778 (MIA / KIA) Scottsville, NY MIA October 18, 1944 MACR 10451 Aircraft History Built by Northrop in Hawthorne, California. Constructors Number 747. On January 24, 1944 completed at the factory. On January 25, 1944 Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-61A-1-NO Black Widow serial number 42-5515. On January 28, 1944 flown to the Sacramento Air Depot (SAD). On April 1, 1944 flown to Oakland for shipment overseas. Disassembled and loaded on a transport ship that departed on April 18, 1944 bound for the South Pacific (SOPAC) and reassembled. Wartime History On May 18, 1944 assigned to the 13th Air Force, 419th Night Fighter Squadron on Guadalcanal. Nose number 316. No known nickname or nose art. When lost, engines R-2800-10 serial numbers 42-11495 and 42-11448. Weapon serial numbers noted in Missing Air Crew Report 10451 (MACR 10451). Mission History On October 18, 1944 took off from Sansapor Airfield (APO 159) at 4:45am on an intruder mission bound for Waigeo Island off the Vogelkop Peninsula on the western tip of New Guinea. Afterward, this aircraft was scheduled to return to Sansapor Airfield (APO 159). Last contact was by radio at 4:45am during take off clearance. Afterwards, base control and GCI attempted to contact this aircraft without response. This P-61 was scheduled to return by 6:30am. When it failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Search When this aircraft failed to return, that same morning at 7:00am two P-61s took off on a search mission to one area where the plane might have been lost. Another search by two P-38s searched a different area. A rescue squadron crash boat was notified to be on standby for any sightings. Every two hours, two P-61s took off to search other possible loss areas on land and in the sea. All searches had nil sightings. Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead on February 22, 1946. All are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Daniel earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Pleasant View Cemetery in Blue Mound, KS. Ozmun earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Yahn earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Mumford Rural Cemetery in Mumford, NY. Relatives Chris Prough (great nephew of Harold Ozmun): "Harold Ozmun was my Grandmother's brother. She is 94 and has long waited to have his remains (should they exist) be buried in the U.S." References USAF Serial Number Search Results - P-61A-1-NO Black Widow 42-5515 "5515 (419th NFS, XIII Fighter Command, 13th AF) crashed from unknown cause near Waigeo, Indonesia Oct 18, 1944, MACR 10451. All 3 crew killed. After the war, remains of the aircraft were found in jungle of New Guinea." Missing Air Crew Report 10451 (MACR 10451) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Howard G. Daniel American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Harold E. Ozmun American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William W. Yahn FindAGrave - Capt Howard G Daniel (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Capt Howard G Daniel (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - 2Lt Harold E Ozmun (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Sgt William W. Yahn (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - Sgt William W Yahn (tablets of the missing) RAAF Survey of Aircraft Wreckage, Papua New Guinea page 10 "#415 | 01.53-134.04 | Vogelkop | USAC Black Widow P-61A 42-5515 | Missing Vogelkop area" Facebook "Twenty Five To Life" by Christopher Prough June 3, 2016 Thanks to Chris Prough for additional information Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated
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 P-61  MIA 3 Missing |
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