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| USAAF 5th AF 375th TCG 56th TCS |
Pilot 1st Lt. Richard R. Hosp, O-739951 (survived) Co-Pilot 1st Lt Harold W. Yorheis, O-740312 (survived) Crew Chief SSgt Arthur T. Leary, 31262657 (survived) Radio Sgt Barnes H. Batchelor, 34335696 (survived) Passenger Maj. Miller, C. O., 804th MAES (WIA, survived) Passenger Lt. Dial, 804th MAES (WIA, survived) Passenger T/3 Ramsey, 804th MAES (WIA, survived) Passenger 18 medical evacuee patents (survived) Force Landed June 10, 1944 at 11:15am MACR none Aircraft History Built by Douglas Aircraft Company. Constructors Number 19091. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as C-47A-65-DL Skytrain serial number 42-100628. Ferried overseas via Hawaii to Australia then northward to New Guinea. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 375th Troop Carrier Group (375th TCG), 56th Troop Carrier Squadron (56th TCS). No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On June 10, 1944 took off from Nadzab Airfield piloted by 1st Lt. Richard R. Hosp on a medevac flight bound for Milne Bay. Aboard were eighteen patients and three female medical attendants from the 804th Medical Air Evacuation Service (804th MAES). Over Dobodura, the radio reports indicated the entire Milne Bay area was inaccessible due to bad weather. Instead, this C-47 was diverted to Port Moresby but the left engine failed and both 7 Mile Drome (Jackson Drome) and 5-Mile Drome (Ward) were inaccessible due to a low ceiling of cloud and rain. Instead, this C-47 diverted to Fisherman's Airfield on Fishermans Island (Daugo) and made a successful belly landing along the runway at at 11:15am. Everyone aboard survived the crash landing. Afterwards, the aircraft was written off. During the crash, the three medical attendants were injured in the crash. Despite their injuries, they aided the patents. Later, all three were flown to Townsville for medical treatment. Wreckage After the crash, a technical investigation revealed that although the left engine was new and had just been replaced, this was the first flight after the change. A missing cotter pin and safety wire to the throttle linkage cause the engine to fail, resulting in the crash landing. Memorials Hosp passed away on August 1, 1991. He is buried at Walnut Grove Cemetery in Boonville, Missouri. References Note, some sources incorrectly list this aircraft as condemned by accident on December 12, 1943 [sic] 375th Troop Carrier Group History The Story of Air Evacuation 1942-1989 by The World War II Flight Nurses Association "Incident of 804th MAES - 10 June 1944, Maj. Miller, C.O., Lt. Dial and T/3 Ramsey were flying a load of psychotic patients to Milne Bay in the SWPA. The weather w as bad and the plane could not land. Heading toward Port Moresby, one of the engines failed and they flew' on one engine. The weather at Moresby was too bad to allow a landing — a crash landing was inevitable. They flew' on for an hour. During this hour, Lt. Dial and Sgt. Ramsey continued their nursing care, preparing at the same time for a crash landing. They continued their duties in a very calm manner, securing the litters and placing the ambulatory patients in a safe spot. Finally, the plane landed on a tiny Fisherman's Island above Port Moresby. On landing, all three medical personnel were throw n clear of the plane sustaining serious injuries. Maj. Miller had 3 ribs fractured with a punctured right lung. Lt. Dial received a nasty fracture of the upper third of the right humerus with a separation of the fronto-zygomatic suture with severe lacerations. T/3 Ramsey had a compression fracture of the 1st and 2nd lumbar vertebral bodies with temporary paralysis of his lower extremities and loss of sphincter control. This paralysis left in 2 days. They were evacuated to Townsville where Lt. Dial had an open reduction of her fracture and Ramsey was maintained in a hypertension cast. Maj. Miller required oxygen, blood transfusions and extended nursing care and hospitalization. They were all three evacuated back to the states when their conditions stabilized. Lt. Dial was awarded the DFC and the Purple Heart for her bravery and dedication to duty when she disregarded her own injuries to direct the removal of her 18 patients from the plane when it crashed." Aviation Safety Network - C-47A 42-100628 The Douglas DC-1/DC-2/DC-3 The First Seventy Years by J. M. Gradidge FindAGrave - Richard R Hosp (grave photo) Thanks to Edward Rogers 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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