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| USAAF 5th AF 8th FG |
Pilot 1st Lt. Albert E. Pomplun, O-804226 8th FG, 36th FS (MIA / KIA) Buffalo, NY Co-Pilot 1st Lt Raymond W. Loh, O-810390 8th FG, 36th FS (MIA / KIA) Teaneck, NJ Engineer TSgt Charles W. Cotten, 18063297 8th FG, 35th FS (MIA / KIA) Johntown, TX Engineer TSgt Francis E. White, 16043419 8th FG, 80th FS (MIA / KIA) Marinette, WI Radio TSgt Robert A. Behrens, 16009120 8th FG, 35th FS (MIA / KIA) Sheboygan County, WI Passenger SSgt Walter M. Cremeans, 15066517 8th FG, 36th FS (MIA / KIA) Lincoln County, WV Passenger Sgt Steve J. Hadzima, 16144879 8th FG, 35th FS (MIA / KIA) Chicago, IL Passenger TSgt John W. Reynolds, 12011647 8th FG, 35th FS (MIA / KIA) New Brunswick, NJ Passenger Cpl Charles F. Teipner, 36263403 8th FG, 36th FS (MIA / KIA) Antigo, WI MIA December 24, 1944 MACR 12181 Aircraft History Built by Douglas Aircraft Company. Construction Number 20580. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as C-47A-90-DL Dakota serial number 43-16114. Flown via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 8th Fighter Group (8th FG). No known nickname or nose art. During late 1944, used by the rear echelon on Noemfoor. On December 23, 1944 took off from Noemfoor on a flight to Finschafen Airfield to pickup P-38 Lightning parts not available at either Noemfoor or Biak. When lost, engines R-1830, serial numbers: CP 360128 and CP 360158. Mission History On December 24, 1944 at 6:45am took off from Finschafen Airfield piloted by 1st Lt. Albert E. Pomplun on an administrative flight bound for Noemfoor Island with parts for P-38 Lightnings. The weather during the flight is unkown. Aboard were passengers from the 8th Fighter Group (8th FG). When this aircraft failed to arrive it was listed as Missing In Action (MIA) and believed to have been lost enroute. Search Afterwards, two P-38s piloted by Lt. Meyers and David M. Macaulay from the 36th Fighter Squadron (36th FS) took off from Noemfoor on a search mission and flew around Japen, along the north coast of New Guinea, past Wakde and Tadji ending at Hollandia with nil sighting. No further searches were made by Meyers due to mechanical difficulties with his aircraft. Macaulay covered the area between Hollandia and Finschafen, also Lae to Nadzab but found no trace of this C-47. Memorials The entire crew was 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. All are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Pomplun earned the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters. He also has a memorial marker in Chelsea Cemetery in Chelsea, OK. Loh earned earned the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters. Cotten also has a memorial marker in Cuthand Cemetery in Cuthand, TX in plot northwest. Hadzima earned the Soldier's Medal. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - C-47A-90-DL 43-16114 "16114 (MSN 20580) lost Dec 24, 1944, New Guinea. MACR 12181" Missing Air Crew Report 12181 (MACR 12181) created December 31, 1944 (Page 2) "TSgt Charles W. Cotton [sic Cotten] 8th Fighter Group microfilm A07497 for crew and passenger details PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - C-47 Dakota 43-16114 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Albert E. Pomplun FindAGrave - Albert E. Pomplun (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Albert E. Pomplun (memorial marker photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Charles W. Cotten FindAGrave - TSgt Charles Wilburn Cotten (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Charles Wilburn Cotten (memorial marker photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Raymond W. Loh FindAGrave - 1Lt Raymond W Loh (photo, tablets of the missing) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Francis E. White FindAGrave - TSgt Francis Elias White (photos, tablets of the missing photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Robert A. Behrens FindAGrave - TSgt Robert A. Behrens (obituary, tablets of the missing) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Walter M. Cremeans FindAGrave - SSgt Walter Marvin Cremeans (tablets of the missing photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Steve J. Hadzima FindAGrave - Sgt Steve Joseph Hadzima (tablets of the missing photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John W. Reynolds FindAGrave - TSgt John W Reynolds (tablets of the missing photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Charles F. Teipner FindAGrave - Corp Charles F Teipner (tablets of the missing photo) 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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 C-47  MIA 9 Missing |
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