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| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
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| USN FAW-1 VP-91 |
Pilot Lt. Mayo M. Mooney, O-99950 USNR (MIA / KIA) Zwolle, LA Co-Pilot Ensign Richard H. Donovan, Jr. 240526 (KIA, BR) Coral Gables, FL Crew AP1c Arthur L. Miller, 2661374 (MIA / KIA) Beckley, WV Crew ART2c Carleton Leibbrandt, 6632553 USNR (MIA / KIA) San Mateo, CA Crew ARM3c Richard W. Hazzard, 6233824 USNR (MIA / KIA) Detroit, MI Crew AMM2c Curtis A. Baldwin, 5518808 (MIA / KIA) Ocala, FL Crew ARM2c Oliver Z. Coupe (WIA, survived) Crew AOM3c Gerald A. Rogier (WIA, survived) Crew AMM1c Merlin J. Naylor (WIA, survived) Crashed November 19, 1943 Aircraft History Built by Consolidated Aircraft Corporation at San Diego. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as PBY-5 Catalina bureau number 08388. Wartime History Assigned to Fleet Air Wing 1 (FAW-1), Patrol Squadron 91 (VP-91). No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On November 19, 1943 took off from Tulagi Seaplane Base (Gavutu) on a patrol mission. Caught in a down draft, this Catalina hit the sea off southern Malaita. During the crash, five were killed and two injured. Recovery of Remains After the crash, the remains of Donovan were recovered and initially buried at American Cemetery Guadalcanal. Postwar, his remains were transported to the United States for permanent burial. Four sets of remains were recovered from the south of Malaita as unknowns: X-176 (shoe size 7.5D), X-177 (with officer's shoe), X-178, X-179. These are highly likely to be four (or all five) missing members of this crew. Memorials The crew members killed were officially declared dead on November 19, 1943. Donovan is buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery at section D site 494 (date of death listed as November 17, 1943 [sic November 19, 1943]). The missing members of the crew are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. For reasons unknown, the unknowns: X-176 (shoe size 7.5D), X-177 (with officer's shoe), X-178, X-179 were transported to Hawaii and were buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl). Ted Darcy adds: "Group burial is the best we are going to do. All five may be in the four graves." References FindAGrave - Richard Healy Donovan, Jr. (grave photo) Thanks to Ted Darcy / WFIRG 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 December 2, 2023 |
 PBY MIA 5 Missing |
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