C-47A-30-DK Serial Number A65-56 Tail Number VH-CIJ

RAAF
33 Squadron

Pilot  F/Lt Eric Clarence Beer, RAAF 253615 (MIA)
Crew  F/Lt John Francis Mulcahy, RAAF 403946 (MIA)
Crew  F/Sgt Francis Xavier Sullivan, RAAF 449405 (MIA)
Passenger  Sgt Keith Hugh Devenish, RAAF 17286 (MIA)
Passenger  AC1 Albert John Haslam, RAAF 159583 (MIA)
Passenger  Cpl Neil Stuart Mackay, RAAF 139076 (MIA)
Passenger  LAC William Douglas Goldie Stevens, RAAF 418569 (MIA)
Passenger  Cpl Michael Francis Moran, RAAF 118118 (MIA)
Passenger  Sgt Wesley Greg Doran, RAAF 50353 (MIA)
Passenger   F/O William Patrick Reedman, RAAF 435578 (MIA)
Passenger  F/Sgt James Neville Davis, RAAF 433345 (MIA)
Passenger  F/Sgt Kevin Francis Rutherford, RAAF 433825 (MIA)
Passenger  F/Lt William John Gordon, RAAF 419569 (MIA)
Passenger  Cpl Eastall Lochlan Eastall, RAAF 88705 (MIA)
Passenger  LAC Albert Grant Walton, RAAF 151902 (MIA)
Passenger  LAC Percy Badon Healy, RAAF 162787 (MIA)
Passenger  Cook Gordon Liddell, RAN 5058 (MIA)
Passenger  Lt Noel Thomas Williams, AIF QX46941 (MIA)
Passenger  Spr Keith Smith, AIF VX65318 (MIA)
Crashed  September 11, 1945

Aircraft History
Constructors Number 25365. USAAF Serial Number 43-48104.

Mission History
Took off from Gurney Field at 10:15am bound for Dobodura. Aboard was £2000 ($500,000 AU$ today) in currency for payroll to pay native labour.

Minutes after taking off, the plane was engulfed by a tropical downpour. At 10:21, the pilot radioed to the tower he was returning and asked to be "homed". That was the last anyone ever heard of the aircraft. Weather closed in around strip and aircraft apparently crashed into sea.

Aerial and ground searches found nothing. But the next day a village constable in a canoe found life jackets, cushions and oil floating on the surface of the water at Milne Bay.

Wreckage
Wreckage off Milne Bay is thought to possibly be this aircraft, on the SW corner of bay between Gumini River and Gamadoda.

References
Thanks to Robert Piper and Rod Pearce for additional information
Thanks to Daniel Leahy for crew list
Hoy status card lists: pilot: Gordon, co-pilot: Reedman, crew: Neville & Rutherford

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