Aircraft History
Built by Canadian Vickers as a OA-10 Catalina. Delivered to the U. S. Army. Ferried overseas to the South-West Pacific Area (SWPA).

Wartime History
Assigned to the 5276th Rescue Group (5276th BG), 3rd Rescue Squadron (3rd RS). No known nickname or nose art. When lost, engines R-183-92 serial numbers (left) 42-109825 and 42-71692. Installed weapons included a .30 caliber machine gun in the nose and tunnel, serial numbers unknown. Two .50 caliber machine guns in each waist blister, serial numbers unknown.

Mission History
On October 13, 1944 took off from Sorido Airfield on Biak Island at 7:00am on a rescue mission bound for the Helen Island area to locate life rafts. This Catalina was never seen again and the entire crew was declared Missing In Action (MIA). The cause of the loss is unknown.

Search
After being reported missing, a search led by Captain George H. Helmick was conducted for four successive days by other aircraft from the 3rd Rescue Squadron plus two ship searches were conducted. The search followed the intended route of this Catalina, as far south as the northwest mountains of New Guinea and was extended to 100 miles to either side of the route to allow for tide, wind or navigational errors on the part of the lost aircraft.

Memorials
Carnegie, Grimm, Maxwell, Raznoff, Proctor and Lauricella were officially declared dead on March 7, 1946. White was officially declared dead on October 14, 1945. The entire crew is memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery.

Ashburn has a memorial marker at Burton-Ashburn Cemetery in Silver Point, TN. Ashburn is also memorialized on the cenotaph in Burton-Ashburn Cemetery, Silver Point, TN.

References
Missing Air Crew Report 13530 (MACR 13530)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Lew J. Carnegie
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Chester E. Grimm
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Benjamin Crump III
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Byrd Ashburn
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Harry M. Maxwell Jr.
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Michael Raznoff
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Carey A. Proctor
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Donald D. J. Lauricella
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Thomas F. White
FindAGrave - Capt Lew J Carnegie (tablets of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - 1Lt Chester E Grimm (tablets of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - 2Lt Benjamin Crump, III (photo)
FindAGrave - TSgt Byrd Ashburn (tablets of the missing)
FindAGrave - Byrd Ashburn (memorial marker)
FindAGrave - Byrd Ashburn (Burton-Ashburn cemetery photos)
FindAGrave - Sgt Harry M Maxwell, Jr
FindAGrave - SSgt Michael Raznoff (tablets of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - SSgt Carey A Proctor (tablets of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - Sgt Donald D. J. Lauricella (tablets of the missing photo)

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Last Updated
February 4, 2018