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| RNZAF No. 14 Squadron |
Pilot Flying Officer Kenneth Patrick Carroll Morpeth, 401404 (MIA / KIA) Wellington, NZ MIA June 12, 1943 Aircraft History Built by Curtiss in Buffalo, New York. Constructors Number 21789. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-40M-5 Warhawk serial number 43-5501. Disassembled and shipped overseas to New Zealand as part of defense aid. Wartime History Assigned to the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) as P-40M Kittyhawk serial number NZ3069. Reassembled by No.1 Aircraft Depot (1 AD) at Hobsonville Airfield on March 13, 1943. Assigned to No. 14 Squadron with fuselage number 16. Mission History On June 12, 1943 took from Fighter 2 (Kukum) on Guadalcanal piloted by Flying Officer Kenneth P. C. Morpeth on a mission to intercept a Japanese air raid. During air combat at 16,000', this P-40 was observed to dive trailing smoke and flames then crash into the sea. When this plane failed to return the pilot was declared Missing In Action (MIA) and the plane written off the books the same day. Memorials Morpeth was officially declared dead the day of the mission. He is memorialized at Bourail War Cemetery on the Bourail Memorial, panel 4. He is memorialized at the Bourail Memorial, panel 4. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - P-40E-1 Warhawk 43-5501 "5501 (MSN 21789) to New Zealand as NZ3069. Assembled by No.1 Aircraft Depot, Hobsonville and BoC at Hobsonville on 13 March 1943. Coded "16". To No.14 Squadron. Shot down by enemy aircraft near Russell Islands Jun 12, 1943. The aircraft was part of a group that was attacked at 16,000 feet and dived into the water trailing smoke and flame. Pilot killed." ADF Serials - Kittyhawk NZ3069 CWGC - Kenneth Patrick Carroll Morpeth FindAGrave - Kenneth Patrick Carroll Morpeth (photo, memorial photo) date of death December 6, 1943 [sic June 12, 1943] Auckland War Memorial - Online Cenotaph Kenneth Patrick Carroll Morpeth (photo) Royal New Zealand Air Force Chapter 13 - The Central Solomons Campaign, Fighter Operations in June page 186 (Morpeth, footnote 1) (Page 186) "Eight aircraft of No. 14 Squadron, which was in the process of relieving No. 15 and had arrived the previous day, also took part in the action and shot down six Japanese. The New Zealand casualty was Flying Officer Morpeth1 of No. 14 Squadron, who was shot down in flames." (footnote 1) "Fg Off K. P. C. Morpeth; born Wellington, 1 Nov 1914; warehouseman; killed in air operations 12 Jun 1943." Air-To-Air (2003) pages 90-95 (12 June 1943), 385 (References 12 June 1943). 402 (index Morpeth) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated July 1, 2024 |
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