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Pilot 1st Lt. Clarence A. Hess (survived) Skokie, IL Gunner Regis Robert Murphy (survived) Radio William "Bill" Cordetti (survived) Ditched December 11, 1944 Aircraft History Built by General Motors, Eastern Aircraft Division as model G-40. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as TBM--1C Avenger bureau number 45445. Wartime History Assigned to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC), 1st Marine Air Wing (1st MAW), Headquarters Squadron (HQ). No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On December 11, 1944 took off from Piva North Airfield (Piva Uncle) on Bougainville piloted by 1st Lt. Clarence A. Hess on a bombing mission against Japanese bridge roughly two miles inland from Cape Torokina. Over the target, Hess dropped four 500 pound bombs onto a log bridge. Hit by anti-aircraft fire, two engine cylinders were shot out but Hess managed to fly westward and ditched into the sea roughly 400 yards off Cape Torokina onto a coral reef near Mutupina Point. Fates of the Crew The entire crew survived the ditching without injury. Rescue Later that evening, they were rescued by a PT Boat and returned to duty. Relatives Sue Miller (daughter Hess) "My dad did pass away 2014, Christmas Day. His gunner C.J. LaCross is still going strong at 99. My husband Steve and I visited with him a few weeks ago at his house in Wisconsin.My dad was a photographer during WWII. I have been digitizing his photos since 2013. He has a lot and I’m still organizing all of them. I do have photos of him with the TBM’s but I don’t know if the pictures are in any of his 3 planes that crashed." References Navy Serial Number Search Results - TBM-1C Avenger 45445 USN Loss List Summary - TBM-1C Avenger 45445 1st Lt. Clarence A. Hess Flight Logbook December 1944 "Date: 14 [sic 11] / Type: TBM-1C / Number: 45445 / Duration of flight 1.5 / Pilot: Hess / Passengers: Murphey, Cordetti / Remarks: Water landing off Mutupina Point" Thanks to Clarence A. Hess and Sue Miller (daughter) 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 February 22, 2024 |
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