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| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
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| RNZAF No. 16 Squadron Former Assignments No. 15 Squadron No. 18 Squadron No. 22 Squadron |
Pilot Flight Sergeant Ronald W. Albrecht, 438630 (MIA / KIA) Wellington, N MIA January 15, 1945 at 7:24pm Aircraft History Built by Vought. Constructors Number 4919. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as F4U-1A Corsair bureau number 49672. Disassembled shipped oversea to the South Pacific (SoPAC) and reassembled. Assigned to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC). Wartime History Assigned to the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) as Corsair serial number NZ5287. On May 5, 1944 BOC by Unit 60 on Espiritu Santo. On May 25, 1944 assigned to No. 15 Squadron with code "R" and "87" on Guadalcanal. Next, on June 5, 1944 assigned to No. 18 Squadron. On October 3, 1944 assigned to No. 22 Squadron. During early January 1945 assigned to No. 16 Squadron. No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On January 15, 1945 took off from Nissan Airfield (Green Island) piloted by Flight Lieutenant Thomas Johnson as one of thirty-six Corsairs from No. 14 Squadron, No. 16 Squadron and No. 24 Squadron on a fighter sweep over Rabaul. Returning from the mission the formation experienced a bad weather front. This Corsair was one of four that entered bad weather front, lost altitude and crashed into the sea exploding on impact at 7:24pm. When this aircraft failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). This aircraft was officially written off at Green Island (Nissan). A total of eight RNZAF Corsairs were lost and the day became known as "A Black Day for the Kiwis". Memorials Albrecht was officially declared dead the day of the mission. He is memorialized at the Bourail New Zealand War Cemetery (Bourail War Cemetery) on the Bourail Memorial on panel 6. References Navy Serial Number Search Results - F4U-1A Corsair 49672 "49672 (MSN 4919) to New Zealand as NZ5287" ADF Serials - NZ Serials NZ5287 CWGC - Ronald Wilfred Albrecht Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated July 6, 2024 |
 F4U  MIA 1 Missing |
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