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| USN USS Enterprise (CV-6) VT-3 |
Pilot Ensign Orian C. Caldwell, Jr., 0-114527 USNR (MIA / KIA) Burnside, KY Radio AOM1c Clealand D. Stanly, 3562241 USNR (MIA / KIA) Chelsea, OK Gunner Sea1c Dale E. Shouse, 6680522 USNR (MIA / KIA) La Plata, MO Crashed October 11, 1942 Aircraft History Built by Grumman as model G-40. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as TBF-1 Avenger bureau number 00509. Assigned to the USS Enterprise (CV-6) to Torpedo Squadrons 3 (VT-3). No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On October 11, 1942 took off piloted by Ensign Orian C. Caldwell Jr. on a training flight. During join up at 1,500' a midair collision happened when this plane was apparently thrown out of control by a slipstream and pulled up in front of TBF Avenger 00514 and the empennage was damaged by the propeller of this plane and went into a steep wing-over and the top of the tail fell off then went out of control and again struck this plane causing the empennage to break off. Out of control, the plane struck TBF Avenger 00509 then crashed into the sea roughly three miles northeast of Makapu‘u Point (Makapu) on the eastern tip of Oahu. All three crew died in the crash and were listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead the day of the mission. None of the crew earned the Purple Heart, posthumously as the flight was non-combat. Caldwell is memorialized at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing, court 5. Stanly is memorialized at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing, court 2. In his hometown of Chelsea, OK, The American Legion Post 60 is named the Clealand post in his honor. Shouse is memorialized at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing, court 2. He also has a memorial marker at La Plata Cemetery in La Plata, MO at school block row 1. References Navy Serial Number Search Results - TBF-1 Avenger 00590 "00590 (VT-3) midair with 00509 and 00590 3 mi NE of Makapu Pt, HI 10/11/1942. 3 killed." NARA Torpedo Squadron 3 (VT-3) War History page 4 "October 1942 Mid-air collision claimed six (6) lives." American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Orian C. Caldwell Jr. FindAGrave - Ens Orian Clyde Caldwell Jr. (courts of the missing photo) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Clealand D. Stanly FindAGrave - AOM1 Clealand Duane “Buck” Stanley sic Stanly (photo, courts of the missing) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Dale Eugene Shouse FindAGrave - S1 Dale Eugene Shouse (courts of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Dale Eugene Shouse (memorial marker photo) Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory Archive - AIR-20: Avenger (BuNo 00514) mentions this plane Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated April 19, 2021 |
 Avenger  MIA 3 Missing |
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