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| USMC MAW-2 MAG-12 VMF-216 |
Pilot 1st Lt. Guy Harmon Kemper, O-021940 (MIA / KIA) Cisco, TX Crashed December 19, 1943 Aircraft History Built by Vought. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as F4U-1A Corsair bureau number 17845. Disassembled and shipped overseas to the South Pacific (SoPAC) and reassembled. Wartime History Assigned to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) to Marine Fighting Squadron 216 (VMF-216) "Bulldogs" with squadron number 14. No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On December 19, 1943 took off from Torokina Airfield on Bougainville piloted by 1st Lt. Guy H. Kemper as part of a three plane formation from VMF-216 flying cover for a mission to Rabaul. Over the target, this plane went to assist some P-40s and B-24s being attacked by Zeros. When this plane failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Also lost was F4U Corsair 17806 pilot Captain Lawrence M. Faulkner (MIA). Robert Marshall adds: "More than likely, they attempted water landings (if they had a choice) and hope for Dumbo rescue rather than ground landing and risk enemy capture. I've got RNZAF reports, AAF reports, VMF 223 reports, but no one seems to have seen them go down, probably near Credner Island. and probably into the water. One thing I don't have is any documentation of VF-33, supposedly flying F6Fs out of Ondonga Airfeild. RNZAF reports them there and even some dog fighting Hellcats and Zekes, but no records have surfaced. Navy doesn't have their war diary, Nat. Archives doesn't have anything, almost as though the squadron didn't leave any records." Memorials Kemper was officially declared dead on January 11, 1946. He earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. References American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Guy Harmon Kemper FindAGrave - 1LT Guy Harmon Kemper (photos, memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - 1Lt Guy Harmon Kemper (photo, tablets of the missing photo) Thanks to VMF-216.com and Robert Marshall 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 December 17, 2022 |
 F4U  MIA 1 Missing |
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