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| USAAF 5th AF FEASC 5295th ASAC (P) Former Assignments 433rd TCG 68th TCS   54th TCW December 18, 1943 |
Pilot F/O Robert E. Gennette, T-008609 15th ADG, 15th RS (MIA / KIA) Los Angeles, CA Crew Chief Cpl John C. Backius, 31423410 12th ADG, 12th RS (KIA, BR) Dedham, MA Crew Chief Cpl Richard A. Gass, 39257090 (MIA / KIA) Canton, IL Radio Cpl Doyle L. Simmons, 39957090 15th ADG, 393th ASS (KIA, BR) Spring Canyon, UT Passenger T/3 Edward M. Kelly, 16038065 307th BG, HQ (KIA, BR) Chicago, IL Passenger T/5 Milton E. Miles, 32554493 307th BG, HQ (KIA) Tonawanda, NY Passenger T/5 Paul P. Dunlap, 35499182 307th BG, HQ (MIA / KIA) Louisville, KY Passenger T/5 Lloyd E. Smith, 35670095 (KIA, BR) Colmar, KY Passenger Pfc Manuel S. Alderette, 38215137 (KIA) Silver City, NM Passenger Pfc Thomas E. Gehringer, 36556122 307th BG, HQ (MIA / KIA) Chipman, MI Passenger Pfc Joseph F. Peragine, 32511073 (KIA) Bronx, NY Passenger PFc Ernest Huber, 6622238 (KIA, BR) Danville, IL Passenger Pvt James B. Ellis, 34339752 (KIA) Ardmore, TN Passenger Pvt Joseph S. Markulis, 36556929 307th BG, HQ (KIA) Detroit, MI Passenger Pfc Grant C. Ruchti, 39835720 (KIA) Salt Lake City, UT Passenger Cpl Broadus F. James, 34113675 (KIA) Marshville, NC Passenger T/5 Noel N. Knox, 17037463 1125th MO Company (KIA) Bemidji, MN Passenger Pfc Leo W. Matson, 31183475 (KIA) Passenger SSgt Paul A. Gallick, 13025236 (KIA) South Bend, IN Passenger SSgt Carlton K. Nipher, 32143204 (KIA, BR) NY Passenger Pfc Lester M. Kranz, 38379652 (KIA) Monroe, LA Passenger CWO George Bloomer, W-2122327 (KIA) Stoneridge, NY Passenger Dr. Isabel Walstrom, civilian (KIA) Passenger SSgt Robert H. Meyers, 19127384 (KIA) Pasadena, CA Passenger Sgt Kingdon G. Ford, 13054819 (KIA) Philadelphia, PA Passenger Sgt William B. Campbell, 32373777 15th ADG, 393rd AAS (KIA, BR) NY Passenger Captain Melvin D. Deck, O-355619 133rd General Hospital (KIA, BR) Omaha, UT Passenger Sgt Melvin R. Robinson, 34453630 15th ADG, 393rd AAS (MIA / KIA) NC Passenger Lt(jg) E. J. Cycenains, USNR (KIA) Passenger Pfc Joseph M. Barone, 42127758 158th IR (KIA) Richmond County, NY Crashed September 6, 1945 at 9:00am MACR 14986 Aircraft History Built by Douglas Aircraft Company. Contract Number C-20669. Constructors Number 9722. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as C-47A-35-DL Skytrain serial number 42-23860. When lost, engines R-1830 serial numbers CP-364249 and 10525. No weapons were installed or aboard this aircraft. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). Wartime History . Assigned to the 5th Air Force, 433rd Troop Carrier Group (433rd TCG), 68th Troop Carrier Squadron (68th TCS). Nicknamed "Sure Skin" with the nose art of a reclining nude woman on the left side of the nose and the nickname only on the right side. Nose number 238. A line of mission markings were painted on the left side of the fuselage, behind the cockpit. This C-47 operated from New Guinea. On December 18, 1943 parked at Finschafen Airfield after delivering supplies for a fighter group. During 1945, assigned to the FEASC (Far East Air Service Command) to the 5295th ASAC (P) in the Philippines. Mission History On September 6, 1945 took off from Tacloban Airfield (APO 72) piloted by F/O Robert E. Gennette on a flight bound for Nielson Field (APO 75) near Manila, aboard were four crew and twenty-six enlisted men as passengers. Weather was visibility 12 miles with lower scattered clouds and lower 8/10 clouds over northern Leyte with tops at 7,000' to 12,000'. This aircraft was last seen by Filipino natives over Ilben Point on Leyte roughly 12 miles from Tacloban. At about 9:00am caught in an intense rain storm and possibly attempted to turn back to base. Filipino natives on the ground observed this C-47 was observed to be on fire and apparently exploded in midair and crashed over a wide area over the San Jacinico Strait and San Pedro Bay between Leyte and Samar. The cause of the explosion is unknown. Search After the crash, an intensive search by liaison aircraft and boats was made of the area including the sea, surrounding islands and native villages. Large pieces of wreckage were found over a mile area in shallow water, but the search initially failed to find any trace of the crew. Wreckage Large pieces of wreckage were found over a mile area in shallow water. Recovery of Remains Filipinos were instructed to recover any bodies found and bring them to Tacloban. In total, they located the remains of all but four. The remains were temporarily buried at Leyte Cemetery #1. In total, twenty-one bodies were identified. Five bodies were unidentified but fingerprints were sent to Washington, DC. Memorials The entire crew and passengers were all officially declared dead the day of the mission. As the flight was non-combat, none of the crew or passengers earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Gennette is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. He also has a memorial marker at Calvary Cemetery in East Lost Angeles, CA. Backius is buried at Manila American Cemetery at plot B row 5 grave 141. Gass has an unknown burial, likely in his hometown in the United States. Simmons is buried at Heber City Cemetery in Herber City, UT. Kelly is buried at Manila American Cemetery at plot F row 1 grave 71 Miles is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Dunlap is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Smith is buried at Turner Cemetery #3 in Bell County, KY. Alderette is buried at Saint Vincent de Paul Catholic Cemetery in Silver City, NM. Gehringer is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Peragine has an unknown burial, likely in his hometown in the United States. Huber is buried at Manila American Cemetery at plot B, row 5 grave 154. Ellis is buried at New Grove Cemetery in Blanche, TN. Markulis is buried at Honolulu Cemetery (Punchbowl) at plot D grave 14. Ruchti is buried at Logan City Cemetery in Logan, UT at plot A grave 75, 32, 7. James is buried at Marshville City Cemetery in Marshville, NC. Knox is buried at Alaska Township Cemetery in Beltrami County, MN. Matson is buried at Manila American Cemetery at plot A row 14 grave 62. Gallick is buried at Long Island National Cemetery at plot J, grave 15485. Nipher is buried at Manila American Cemetery at plot A row 13 grave 197. Kranz at Jewish Cemetery Monroe, LA. Bloomer is buried at Woodside Cemetery in Dumont, NJ. Walstrom has an unknown burial, likely in his hometown in the United States. Meyers has an unknown burial, likely in his hometown in the United States. Ford is buried at Valley Forge Memorial Gardens in King of Prussia, PA. Campbell is buried at Manila American Cemetery at plot A row 2 grave 162. Deck is buried at Manila American Cemetery at Plot A Row 2 Grave 77. Robinson is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Cycenains has an unknown burial, likely in his hometown in the United States. Barone is buried at Saint Peter's Cemetery in West New Brighton, NY. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Robert E. Gennette NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - John C. Backius NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Richard A. Gass NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Doyle L. Simmons NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Edward M. Kelly NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Milton E. Miles NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Paul P. Dunlap NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Lloyd E. Smith NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Manuel S. Alderette NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Joseph F. Peragine NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - James B. Ellis NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Grant C. Ruchti NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Broadus F. James NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Noel N. Knox NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Leo W. Matson NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Paul A. Gallick NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Carlton K. Nipher NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Lester M. Kranz NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - George Bloomer NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Robert H. Meyers NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Kingdon G. Ford NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - William B. Campbell NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Melvin D. Deck NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Melvin R. Robinson NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Joseph M. Barone USAF Serial Number Search Results - C-47A-35-DL Skytrain 42-23860 "23860 (MSN 9722) delivered Jun 17, 1943. 5th AF Brisbane Aug 23, 1943. Tacloban. With 529th TCG lost Sep 6, 1945, SW Pacific." Missing Air Crew Report 14986 (MACR 14986) created September 7, 1945 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Robert E Gennette FindAGrave - Robert E Gennette (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - 1LT Robert E Gennette (memorial marker photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John C. Backius FindAGrave - Corp John C Backius (grave photo) FindAGrave - Doyle L Simmons (grave photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Edward M. Kelly FindAGrave - Tec3 Edward M Kelly (grave photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Milton E. Miles FindAGrave - Milton E. Miles (tablets of the missing photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Paul P. Dunlap FindAGrave - Paul P. Dunlap (photo, tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Lloyd Elisha Smith (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - Manuel S. Alderette (grave photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Thomas E. Gehringer FindAGrave - PFC Thomas E Gehringer (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - PFC Joseph F Peragine American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Ernest Huber FindAGrave - PFC Ernest Huber (grave photo) FindAGrave - PFC James Beech Ellis (grave photo) FindAGrave - Joseph S. Markulis (grave photos) FindAGrave - Grant C. Ruchti (grave photos) FindAGrave - CPL Broadus F James (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - Noel M Knox (grave photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Leo W. Matson FindAGrave - PFC Leo W Matson (grave photos) FindAGrave - Paul A Gallick (grave photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Carlton K. Nipher FindAGrave - SSgt Carlton K Nipher (grave photo) FindAGrave - Lester Masur Kranz (grave photos) FindAGrave - CWO George W. Bloomer (grave photo) FindAGrave - Sgt Robert H Meyers FindAGrave - Sgt. Kingdon Graham Ford (news, grave photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William Brooker Campbell FindAGrave - Sgt William Brooker Campbell (grave photos) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Melvin D. Deck FindAGrave - Capt Melvin Denver Deck (photo, news) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Melvin R Robinson FindAGrave - SGT Melvin R Robinson (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Pfc. Joseph M. Barone (photo, grave photo) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated November 22, 2025 |
 C-47  Photo Archive  MIA 4 missing |
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