|
 |
|
|
| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
| Chronology | Locations | Aircraft | Ships | Submit Info | How You Can Help | Donate |
|
| USMC MAW-1 MAG-25 VMJ-253 |
Pilot 1st Lt. Joseph Napoleon Abel, O-9032 USMCR (MIA / KIA) Seattle, SW Co-Pilot SSgt. Arthur Freeman Dowers, Jr., 277873 (MIA / KIA) Sioux Falls, SD Mechanic Cpl. Roman John Freise, 366248 (MIA / KIA) Union, MO Radio PFC John Robert Matuszak, 380541 (MIA / KIA) Chicago, IL Passenger PhM3c Paul Adolphus Westerman, 6331096 USNR (MIA / KIA) Ringling, OK MIA November 13, 1942 Aircraft History Built by Douglas. Constructors Number 4303. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as R4D-1 bureau number 4696. Wartime History On April 20, 1942 assigned to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC), Marine Air Wing 1 (MAW-1), Marine Air Group 25 (MAG-25), Marine Utility Squadron 253 (VMJ-253). No known nickname, nose art or squadron number. Mission History On November 13, 1942 at 3:15pm took off from Espiritu Santo on a flight bound for Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. Aboard was passenger PhM3c Paul A. Westerman a U.S. Navy corpsman attached to MAG-25. The weather was very bad and crashed while trying to land in a blinding rainstorm and went missing. When this plane failed to arrive it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Officially stricken from charge on December 31, 1942. Memorials The entire crew were presumptively declared dead on December 11, 1943. All were officially presumed dead on December 10, 1945 and remain listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Abel earned the Purple Heart. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Dowers is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. He also has a memorial marker at Woodlawn Cemetery in Winona, MN date of death listed as December 11, 1943 his presumptive date of death. Freise is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. He also has a memorial marker at Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Union, MO. Matuszak earned the Air Medal, Purple Heart. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Westerman is memorialized at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) at the court of the missing, court 2. References The Bureau Number of this plane is incorrectly listed in some sources as R4D-1 01648. The flight route of this plane is incorrectly listed as Guadalcanal bound Espiritu Santo. The date of this loss is listed some sources incorrectly as November 9, 1942, November 12, 1942 or November 15, 1942. Navy Serial Number Search Results - R4D-1 4696 "4696 (MSN 4303) to US Navy Apr 20, 1942 - MAW-2 [sic MAW-1]/VMJ-253. Crashed in sea, SOC Dec 31, 1942." USN Overseas Aircraft Loss List December 1942 d R4D-1 4696 VMJ-253 12/29/1942 Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) - Joseph N. Abel American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Joseph Napoleon Abel FindAGrave - Capt Joseph Napoleon Abel (photo, courts of the missing photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Arthur F. Dowers Jr. FindAGrave - SSgt Arthur Freeman Dowers Jr. (photo, tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Arthur Freeman Dowers Jr. (photo, memorial marker photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Roman John Freise FindAGrave - Corp Roman John Freise (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Roman John Freise (memorial marker photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John Robert Matuszak FindAGrave - PFC John Robert Matuszak (photo, tablets of the missing photo) The Bakersfield Californian "War Death: Paul Westerman" December 11, 1942 page 9 Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) - Paul A. Westerman American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Paul A. Westerman FindAGrave - PhM3 Paul Adolphus Westerman (obituary, courts of the missing) Thanks to Geoffrey Roecker 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 March 1, 2024 |
 R4D  MIA 5 Missing |
| Discussion Forum | Daily Updates | Reviews | Museums | Interviews & Oral Histories |
|
