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| USAAF 5th AF 6th PRG 8th PRS  Morton 1934  Wrecks & Reefs 1994  Justin Taylan 2016 |
Pilot 1st Lt. William W. Morton, O-439666 (MIA / KIA) Albemarle County, VA Crashed March 16, 1943 MACR none Aircraft History Built by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation (LAC) in Burbank. Constructors Number 5358. Purchased using funds F-1, order number W-535-AC-15646 at a cost of $81,619.00. This aircraft was originally ordered as a P-38E model but completed as an F-4 photographic reconnaissance version. On January 1, 1942 delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as F-4-1-LO Lightning serial number 41-2140. On March 13, 1942 redesignated as F-4 model. On April 15, 1942 at March Field. On May 30, 1942 at Dallas, TX. On June 20, 1942 flown to Lowry Field. On June 23, 1942 flown to McClellan Airfield to the Sacramento Air Depot (SAD). On June 27, 1942 redesignated as an F-4-1 model. On July 6, 1942 at Port Of Embarkation No. 1 (POE #1) and disassembled for shipment overseas to Australia and reassembled by August 22, 1942. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group (PRG), 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron (PRS). No known nose art or nickname. Mission History On March 16, 1943 took off from 14 Mile Drome (Schwimmer) near Port Moresby piloted by 1st Lt. William W. Morton on a photographic reconnaissance mission over the Ramu Valley and Markham Valley of New Guinea. Morten radioed Port Moresby that he was "over the ranges". This was taken to mean that he was south of the Owen Stanley Range. Afterwards, no further broadcasts were heard. When this aircraft failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Administratively, this aircraft was officially condemned on April 1, 1944. In fact, this Lightning crashed into the sea northwest of Fishermans Island (Daugo Island). Wreckage During the early 1990s, the crash site of this Lightning was discovered by SCUBA at a depth of 10 meters on the flat sandy bottom northwest of Fishermans Island (Daugo Island). When found, no remains were observed at the crash site. The plane's identity was confirmed when the instrument panel with the radio call sign and a piece of wreckage with the stamped serial number 41-2140 and constructors number 5358 were located and photographed. The wreckage includes one of the propellers separated and the wing center section with the main landing gear tire. On the wing is the counter weight. This crash site is coded 834-J by the Department of Defense (DoD). It is unclear if Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) or predecessors Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) or the Central Identification Laboratory Hawaii (CILHI) have conducted any underwater survey of this crash site or searched the site for remains. Memorials Morton was officially declared dead on March 17, 1944. He earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - William W. Morton USAF Serial Number Search Results - F-4-1-LO Lightning 41-2140 "Originally ordered as P-38E, but completed as F-4-1-LO / 41-2140 MIA Mar 16, 1943" Individual Aircraft Record Card (IARC) - F-4-1 Lightning 41-2140 PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - P-38 Lightning 41-2140 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William W. Morton FindAGrave - 1Lt William Wylie Morton (photo, tablets of the missing photo) Wrecks & Reefs (1994) pages 156-159 The Eight Ballers: Eyes of the Fifth Air Force (1999) pages 160 Thanks to Neil Whiting, Justin Taylan and Keith Hopper 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
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