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| USMC VMF(N)-531 |
Pilot 1st Lt. Marion M. Pierce, O-019169 (MIA / KIA) Navasota, TX Crew Sgt Samuel G. Allen, Jr., 430233 (MIA / KIA) MI Crew Cpl Petie H. Barber, 387365 (MIA / KIA) TN Crew Pfc William K. Massey, 519406 (MIA / KIA) IL MIA March 21, 1944 Aircraft History Built by Lockheed as model 237-27-01 in Burbank. Constructors Number 237-5088. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as PV-1 Ventura bureau number 33079. Converted into a PV-1(N) night fighter. Wartime History Assigned to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC), Marine Fighting Squadron (Night) 531 "The Grey Ghosts" VMF(N)-531. No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On March 21, 1944 in the early morning took off from Barakoma Airfield on Vella Lavella Island piloted by 1st Lt. Marion M. Pierce on a patrol with PV-1 Ventura 29870 piloted by Lt. Birdsall over Torokina on Bougainville. During the flight, they joined PV-1 Ventura piloted by Lt. Notestine then flew in formation towards Vella Lavella Island. During the flight, Lt. Birdsall's Ventura suffered an aerial collisions with this bomber causing both to crash into the sea roughly 35 miles to the south of the Treasury Islands and Vella Lavella. This aircraft was clipped the wing causing it to burst into flames before the crash. Both aircraft failed to return and were officially declared Missing In Action (MIA). A total of nine went missinin the two crashes. Search After the crash, Lt. Notestine circled the crash site of both bombers at low altitude but did not see anyone afloat and radioed to "Terrier" and "Dane" that deployed a crash boat and PBY Catalina while a P-38 also circled the wreckage that came to the surface without spotting anyone. The next day, two search flights were made. The first by Lt. Col. John D. Harshberger and the second by Lt. Wehmer. Both circled the area where debris was floating but observed no personnel. Memorials The crew were officially declared dead the day of the mission. Each crew member earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. All are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Pierce also has a memorial marker at Oakland Cemetery in Navasota, TX. References Navy Serial Number Search Results - PV-1 Ventura 33079 "33079 (VMF(N)531) w/o 21-Mar-44 Treasure Isl, SP. Mid-air at sea. 4 killed" USN Overseas Aircraft Loss List March 1944 PV-1 Ventura 33079 NARA Marine Night Fighter Squadron 531 [VMF(N)-531] War Diary March 1944 page 2, 4, 17 (Page 2) "Our Losses: 21 March [1944] between Treasury and Barakoma PV(N) Lt. Pierce destroyed pilot and crew killed mid-air collision with Lt. Birdsall's plane." (Page 4) "Summary: The loss of four airplanes during the month [March 1944], two in mid-air collision." (Page 17) "March 20-21 [1944] Lts. Birdsall and Pierce patrolled over Torokina with no results. Lt. Notestine took off from Torokina at 0520 and patrolled until 0630 and then stared home to Barakoma. He was joined by Lts. Pierce and Birdsall and they flew formation towards Vella Lavella. About 0650 Lt. Pierce's wing clipped Lt. Birdsall's wing. The PV(N) in which Lt. Pierce was pilot burst into flames. Lt. Birdsall's plane went into a spin. Lt. Notestine barely avoided collision with Lt. Piece's flaming plane. Both the PV(N)'s crashed into the sea about 35 miles from Treasury Island between there and Barakoma. Lt. Notestine circled low about the place where the planes went in but saw no one afloat. He called 'Terrier' and 'Dane' who sent out a crash boat and a PBY. A P-38 also circled about the wreckage that had come to the surface, fruitlessly. Nine lives were lost in the accident. No one was recovered. March 21-22 [1944] Two search flights were made as soon as word was received of the crash, one by Lt. Colonel Harshberger in the F6F and one by Lt. Wehmer in the F4F but although they circled the area in which the debris floated none of the personnel were found." American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Marion M. Pierce American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Samuel G. Allen Jr. American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Petie Hurst Barber American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William K. Massey FindAGrave - 1Lt Marion M Pierce (photo, tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Lieut Marion McGinty Pierce (photo, memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - Sgt Samuel G Allen, Jr (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Corp Petie Hurst Barber (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - PFC William Kenneth Massey, Jr (photo, tablets of the missing) Marine Night Fighters Association by Herbert Banks pages 16-24 Thanks to Ted Darcy 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 June 26, 2024 |
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