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| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
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| USMC MAW-1 MAG-25 VMR-153  USMC c1944 |
Pilot Captain Richard O. Haralson, O-20275 USMC, MAG-25, VMJ-152 (MIA / KIA ) South Minneapolis, MN Co-Pilot 1st Lt. Jack Ward Glover, O-21829 USMC (MIA / KIA) Minneapolis, MN Crew SSgt Norman Lewis Myers, 322542 USMC (MIA / KIA) Burbank, CA Crew Sgt Daniel Bate, Jr., 413088 USMC (MIA / KIA) North Platte, NE Crew MSgt Edward W. Le Vine, 322075 USMC (MIA / KIA) Pittsburgh, PA Radio Pfc Charles H. Bakewell, 835739 USMC, MAG-25, VMJ-152 (MIA / KIA) West Brownsville, PA Flight Nurse 2nd Lt Eloise M. Richardson, N-731623 801st Medical Air Evacuation Sqn (MIA / KIA) Marseilles, IL Passenger Lt Col Everett B. Mersereau, O-256313 US Army (MIA / KIA) Essex County, MA Passenger Capt Johnson B. Allen, O-380580 US Army (MIA / KIA / KIA) Liberty County, TX Passenger 1/Lt George S. Gerst, O-1697993 US Army (MIA / KIA) Berkshire County, MA Passenger 1/Lt Wayburn W. Schossow, O-1644266 551st Signal Air Warning Bn (MIA / KIA) Ramsey County, ND Passenger 2/Lt Harold L. Galbraith, O-1542653 US Army, 43rd Division, HQ (MIA / KIA) Los Angeles, CA Passenger 2/Lt Carol J. Kowalski, O-1824042 706th Army Postal Unit (MIA / KIA) Westchester County, NY Passenger 2/Lt Richard A. Butler, O-2043126 US Army (MIA / KIA) Westchester County, NY Passenger S/Sgt Robert E. Quinn, 35284516 131st Army Ground Forces Band (MIA / KIA) Mahoning County, OH Passenger Sgt Wilbert H. Sann, 33184758 USAAF (MIA / KIA) Cambria County, PA Passenger PHM3 William David Hay, 8399915 USNR (MIA / KIA) Duluth, MN Passenger ST3 Alex Milton Kendrick, 2959524 USN (MIA / KIA) Chattanooga, TN Passenger CM Horace Register, 284866 USN (MIA / KIA) Corpus Christi, TX Passenger Pfc Frederick A. Westenfelder, 867303 USMC (MIA / KIA) Grace, ID Passenger Coxswain Vernon W. Zimowski, 231075 USCG (MIA / KIA) Schneider, IN Passenger BM1 William E. Ziegert, 224193 USCG (MIA / KIA) Brooklyn, NY Passenger BM1 Harvey Oscar Slonaker, Jr., 220550 USCG (MIA / KIA) Salford, PA MIA May 18, 1944 MACR 16545 Aircraft History Built by Douglas. Constructors Number 10093. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as C-47A-50-DL Skytrain serial number 42-24231. On August 23, 1943 delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as R4D-5 bureau number 39073. Wartime History Delivered to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC), Marine Air Wing 1 (MAW-1), Marine Air Group 25 (MAG-25), Marine Utility Squadron 152 (VMJ-152). No known nickname, nose art or squadron number. This aircraft was part of part of South Pacific Combat Air Transport (SCAT). When lost, this R4D-5 was noted as being in good operating condition, and had a 1,000 hour check a week earlier. The pilot was experienced and familiar with the route. Mission History On May 18, 1944 at 6:00am took off piloted by Captain Richard O. Haralson on a flight from Guadalcanal to Torokina Airfield on Bougainville. At 10:10am took off from Torokina Airfield on Bougainville on a return flight back to Guadalcanal with a total of twenty-three crew and passengers plus 1,300 pounds of postal mail as cargo. Those aboard included a flight crew of six the U.S. Marine Corps, (USMC). The passengers included nine from the U.S. Army, three from the U.S. Navy, one from the U.S. Marine Corps, (USMC) and three from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). Also U.S. Army passengers was a woman, 2nd Lt Eloise M. Richardson from the 801st Medical Air Evacuation Squadron. After take off, the last radio contact was at the time of take off. This aircraft was not traced by radar. That morning, the weather was threatening, with moderate rain showers reducing visibility from six miles to one mile. When this aircraft failed to arrive it was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA). Search A thorough, systematic search was carried out for two days by means of a large number of aircraft and PT-Boats. All floating wreckage in the area was investigated. No trace of the missing aircraft, nor those on board, was ever located. Memorials The entire crew (with the exception of Bate, Zimowski, Ziegert and Slonaker) were officially declared dead on May 19, 1945. Bate was officially declared dead on May 18, 1944. Zimowski, Ziegert and Slonaker were officially declared dead on November 1, 1945. All are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Haralson was officially declared dead on May 19, 1945. Glover was officially declared dead on May 19, 1945. He earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Myers was officially declared dead on May 19, 1945. Bate was officially declared dead on May 18, 1944. He earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. He also has a memorial marker at Fort McPherson National Cemetery at plot MA, site 29. Le Vine was officially declared dead on May 19, 1945. Bakewell was officially declared dead on May 19, 1945. Bakewell also has a memorial marker at LaFayette Memorial Park in Brier Hill, PA. Richardson was officially declared dead on May 19, 1945. She earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Mersereau was officially declared dead on May 19, 1945. He earned the Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart, posthumously. Allen was officially declared dead on May 19, 1945. He earned the Silver Star. Gerst was officially declared dead on May 19, 1945. Schossow was officially declared dead on May 19, 1945. Galbraith was officially declared dead on May 19, 1945. Kowalski was officially declared dead on May 19, 1945. He earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Butler was officially declared dead on May 19, 1945. He earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Quinn was officially declared dead on May 19, 1945. Sann was officially declared dead on May 19, 1945. He earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Hay was officially declared dead on on May 19, 1945. Kendrick was officially declared dead on May 19, 1945 Register was officially declared dead on May 19, 1945. He also has a memorial marker at Magnolia Park Cemetery in Dayton, TX at plot 3-083-07. Westenfelder was officially declared dead on on May 19, 1945. He also has a memorial marker at Grace Cemetery in Grace, ID. Zimowski was officially declared dead on November 1, 1945. Ziegert was officially declared dead on November 1, 1945. Slonaker was officially declared dead on November 1, 1945. Relatives Julius Kendricks (nephew of Alex Milton Kendrick) "Looking for information on my uncle, Alexander M. Kendrick, 295 95 24, missing as of 18 May, 1944, lost between Torokina, Bougainville and Guadalcanal, passenger on aircraft. Unit I believe was ACORN 26" Ernest Zimowski (nephew of Vernon Zimowsk) via Lowell Tribune April 2009 "My uncle VERNON ZIMOWSKI was missing in action and declared dead in WW II. I am probably the closest living relative to Vernon. He is my uncle, as he is my father's youngest brother. Vernon was born in 1918. He was a farm boy from Schneider, Indiana, just south of Lowell, Indiana, and joined the Coast Guard during the war. All his siblings are now dead, and I was just a toddler at the time, but this is what I remember as told to me. Also from letters I have from the Commandant of the Coast Guard which I was given. Vernon was Coxswain USGC, who operated the landing crafts during an invasion. I am not sure, but I believe Guadalcanal was one of them. The letter I have states he was reported missing as of May 18,1944, when the R4D5 plane, BU# 39073, on which he was traveling, was lost due to enemy action. This occurred in the South Pacific Solomon Islands between Guadalcanal and Bougainville. He was declared Killed In Action on November 1, 1945. We have never [heard] anything more about him and always wondered." References USAF Serial Number Search Results - C-47A-50-DL Skytrain 42-24231 "24231 (MSN 10093) to US Navy as BuNo 39073 Aug 23, 1943" Navy Serial Number Search Results - R4D-5 39073 "39073 (MSN 10093) ex USAAF 42-24231. Aug 23, 1943 MABG-2 San Diego Aug 23, 1943 - Pac Aug 24, 1943 - MAG25 Oct 5, 1943(VMJ-125M) missing on flight from Bougainville to Guadalcanal May 18, 1944. 19 missing." Missing Air Crew Report 16545 (MACR 16545) created retroactively circa 1945-1946 (Page 2) lists crew member names incorrectly including: "Master Technical Sergeant William E. Lane, USMC (322075)" [sic, MSgt Edward W. Le Vine, 322075] NARA "Marine Utility Squadron 152 War Diary May 1944" page 13 (Page 13) "18 May 1944 0600 Haralson, Glover, Bate, Lane, Bakewell, Myers. Off from Guadalcanal to Bougainville panacked 0920. Off from Bougainville 1010, reported missing." USN Overseas Aircraft Loss List May 1944 - R4D 39073 date of loss listed as May 19, 1944 [sic May 18, 1944] American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Richard O. Haralson American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Jack Ward Glover American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Norman Lewis Myers American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Daniel Bate, Jr. American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Edward W. Le Vine American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Charles H. Bakewell American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Eloise M. Richardson American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Everett B. Mersereau American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Johnson B. Allen American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - George S. Gerst American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Wayburn W. Schossow American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Harold L. Galbraith American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Carol J. Kowalski American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Richard A. Butler American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Robert E. Quinn American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Wilbert H. Sann American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William D. Hay American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Alex M. Kendrick American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Horace Register American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Frederick A. Westenfelder American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Vernon Zimowski American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William E. Ziegert American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Harvey O. Slonaker, Jr. FindAGrave - Capt Richard Oscar Haralson (photo, tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - 1Lt Jack Ward Glover (photos, tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - SSgt Norman Lewis Myers (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Daniel Bate (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Sgt Daniel Bate, Jr (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Sgt Daniel Bate, Jr (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - MTSgt Edward W Le Vine (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - PFC Charles Henry Bakewell (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Charles H Bakewell (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - 2Lt Eloise Marie Richardson (photos, tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - LtCol Everett B Mersereau (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - CPT Johnson Butler Allen (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - 1Lt George S Gerst (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - 1Lt Wayburn W Schossow (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - 2LT Harold L Galbraith (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - 2Lt Carol J Kowalski (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - 2Lt Richard A Butler (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - SSgt Robert E Quinn (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Sgt Wilbert Herbert Sann (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - PH3 William David Hay (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - ST3 Alex Milton Kendrick (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - CM Horace Register (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Horace Register (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - PFC Frederick Allen Westenfelder (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Frederick Allen Westenfelder (memorial marker photos) FindAGrave - Cox Vernon Zimowski (obituary, tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - BM1 William E Ziegert (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - BM1 Harvey Oscar Slonaker, Jr (tablets of the missing) WWII Memorial Registry - Richard Oscar Haralson (photo) WWII Memorial Registry - Charles H. Bakewell WWII Memorial Registry - Daniel Bate, Jr. WWII Memorial Registry - Jack Ward Glover WWII Memorial Registry - Norman Lewis Myers ABMC Education - Eloise M. Richardson (photos) YouTube "Eulogy for a Fallen Hero: 2nd Lt. Eloise M. Richardson" November 9, 2017 93rd Seabees Battalion - Lt. Eloise M. Richardson, N-731623, Army Nurse Corps Thanks to Daniel Leahy, Ted Darcy, Shane Elliot and John Dodds 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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