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| USN USS Enterprise CV-6 VF-20  USN 1943 |
Pilot Ensign Joseph E. Cox, O-300730 (MIA / KIA, BR) Nampa, ID Crashed September 6, 1944 Aircraft History Built by Grumman as model G-50 in Bethpage, New York. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as F6F-5 Hellcat bureau number 58675. Wartime History Assigned Fighting Squadron 20 (VF-20) aboard to USS Enterprise (CV-6). No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On September 6, 1944 took off from USS Enterprise (CV-6) piloted by Ensign Joseph E. Cox on a mission against Yap. At the start of a strafing run, suffered a mid-air collision with F6F Hellcat 58713 pilot Ensign Howard A. Holding over Yap. Both aircraft crashed and neither pilot bailed out. When this plane failed to return listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Also lost due to anti-aircraft fire was F6F Hellcat 58471 pilot Lt(jg) Harry D. Brown (MIA). Recovery of Remains Postwar, the remains of Cox were recovered and transported to the United States. Wreckage Postwar, the crash site was located and remains of the pilot recovered, identified and by December 1948 were transported to the United State for burial. During 1991, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) coast guardsman Timothy Schubert rediscovered the crash site and removed a piece of wreckage with "BU NO 58471" [Bureau Number 58471] and sent the information to the Department of Defense (DoD). Memorials Cox was officially declared dead the day of the mission. During 1949, his remains were buried at Kohlerlawn Cemetery in Nampa, ID at plot R-220-1. References Navy Serial Number Search Results - F6F-5 Hellcat 58675 "58675 (VF-20) crashed on Yap Island Sep 6, 1944 during attack on Japanese radio station." USN Overseas Aircraft Loss List September 1944 - F6F-5 Hellcat 58675 NARA Headstone Applications, 1925-1963 - Joseph E. Cox FindAGrave - Joseph Edward Cox (photos, grave photo) MissingAirCrew - Hellcat Crash Site #1-Yap Island Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated July 29, 2025 |
 F6F  MIA 1 Missing Resolved |
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