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| USMC MAW-1 MAG-12 VMF-216 |
Pilot 1st Lt. William J. O'Brien, III (survived) Ditched February 21, 1944 Aircraft History Built by Vought. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as F4U-1A Corsair bureau number 56132. Shipped overseas to the South Pacific and reassembled. Wartime History Assigned to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC), Marine Air Wing 1 (MAW-1), Marine Air Group 12 (MAG-12), Marine Fighting Squadron 216 (VMF-216) "Hellions". No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On February 21, 1944 at 10:50am took off Piva Uncle (Piva North Airfield) on Bougainville piloted by 1st Lt. W. J. O'Brien as one of sixteen F4U Corsairs as high roving cover for SBD Dauntless dive bombers, TBF Avengers and B-24 Liberators on a bombing mission over Lakunai Airfield near Rabaul. Inbound, two F4Us aborted the mission due to mechanical issues. O'Brien was flying as no. 4 element wingman of the 1st Division led by Major Benjamin S. Hargrave, Jr. (C.O. VMF-216). At 12:10pm over the target at an altitude of 28,000' the formation experienced heavy but inaccurate anti-aircraft fire from the vicinity of Lakunai Airfield. Returning, O'Brien ditched into Saint Georges Channel roughly eight miles off Cape St. George on southeast New Ireland. Fate of the Pilot O'Brien was uninjured in the landing and successfully deployed his life raft. Overhead, his ditching was observed by F4U Corsair pilot Major Hargrave who circled him took a bearing of his position in relation to Cape Saint George and notified air sea rescue about the downed pilot. Rescue Afterwards, at 3:00pm Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) PBY Catalina NZ4014 piloted by F/O J. A. Hendry alerted to the downed pilot at bearing 167° 8 miles off Cape St. George. Approaching, the Catalina spotted dye in the water, landed at 3:06pm and rescued O'Brien. Previously this Catalina rescued F4U-1A Corsair 56132 pilot Major H. A. Pehl from VMF-218. Afterwards, continued to patrol then at 5:10pm landed at Torokina to deliver both rescued pilots. References Navy Serial Number Search Results - F4U-1A Corsair 17879 USN Overseas Aircraft Loss List - F4U-1 Corsair 17879 NARA VMF-216 War Diary February 1944 pages 11-12 (February 21, 1944), 21 (roster) (Pages 11-12) "February 21, 1944... Flight Echelon: Mision-high roving cover... On returning to base, one plane, Lt. O'Brien was forced to make a water landing, 8 miles south of Cape St. George, New Ireland. The [His] oil system developed a leak and his motor froze... He experienced no trouble getting clear of his plane or in getting into his life raft. He was neither injured nor did he suffer any ill effect from his dunking. He was returned to this base at 1830 [6:30pm]." Dumbo Diary Royal New Zealand Air Force No.6 (Flying Boat) Squadron 1943-1945 (2012) February 21, 1944 Thanks to Edward Rogers for research and analysis Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated June 29, 2024 |
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