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| USN USS Enterprise (CV-6) VS-6 |
Pilot Ens. Walter M. Willis, O-084140 (MIA / KIA) MN Gunner COX Fred Ducolon, 3927455 (MIA / KIA) CA Crashed December 7, 1941 Aircraft History Built by Douglas at El Segundo. Constructors Number 682. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as SBD-2 Dauntless bureau number 2159. Assigned to USS Enterprise (CV-6) to Scouting Squadron 6 (VS-6). No known nickname or nose art. Wartime History On December 7, 1941 took off USS Enterprise on a scouting mission over Oahu. This aircraft is believed to have been shot down by American anti-aircraft fire during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Memorials Both crew were officially declared dead the day of the mission and earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Both are memorialized at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing. Willis on court 2. Ducolon on court 5. Wilis also has a memorial marker at Vance Cemetery in Henry County, KY. Steve Price / Hawaii Undersea Research Lab (HURL) "Hawaii Undersea Research Lab was fortunate enough to be able to conduct a recent (October 1, 2010) "test and trial" dive at the site of a Dauntless tail section found in March of 2005. More recently a test dive with our ROV came across a wing root in the same vicinity (within 100m). We have always believed that this wreck was that of Ens. Walter Willis and his Gunner Fred Ducolon which were shot down on December 7, 1941 while scouting from the USS Enterprise to Oahu. We believed this based on the historical record of the aircraft of this type lost in the area South of Ewa Beach. Although there were no other known Dauntlesses lost in this area, there were still candidates with their final fates unknown and a few others that were lost in flight but their details were unspecific as to location or even if they crashed at sea. Although limited in our time at the site we were lucky enough to be able to decipher the bureau number from the side of the vertical stabilizer. The Willis Dauntless was BuNo 2159, this aircraft was SBD BuNo 2136. Further survey to the east located an engine, then a wing root with one wing still attached, more smaller sections of fuselage and finally the wing root found on the ROV survey. So two wing roots and more wreckage than just one airplane were found. The Willis Family has been informed as to the outcome of this survey. Although, I'm sure they were disappointed, Walter's niece said she was glad to finally know for certain and that she had no regrets." References Navy Serial Number Search Results - SBD-2 Dauntless 2159 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Walter M. Willis American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Fred John Ducolon FindAGrave - Ens Walter M Willis (courts of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Walter Vernon Willis (memorial photo) FindAGrave - COX Fred John Ducolon (courts of the missing photo) Thanks to Steve Price / Hawaii Undersea Research Lab (HURL) 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 11, 2021 |
 SBD MIA 2 Missing |
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