Aircraft History
Engines R-1830-92 serial numbers CP 360275 and CP 360265.

Mission History
Departed from Mokerang Airfield at 0330 to conduct tests on conduct distance measuring equipment for COMAIR Admiralties. Aboard were 4 crew (pilot, engineer and 2 radio operators) and 7 passengers (five AACS officers and two AACS enlisted men from the 68th Airways and Communications Service Group and 91st Army Air Force Base Unit).

Last reported position by radio was 110 miles south of Los Negros at 3 47' S and 147 12' E.

When this PBY failed to return, a search mission for it was launched using five C-47s, two OA-10s and numberous fighters. No visible signs of wreckage nor any trace was found. The search was officially abandoned June 25, 1945 at midnight. Originally listed as missing in action; six months later declared KNB (killed No Body).

Relative
Jean Paige Hamilton (sister) adds:
"Harry Paige was my brother. Several years ago I attempted to get copies of service records, etc., from National Military Personnel Records and was told that all personnel records were lost in fire in St. Louis. The crew photo I beleive is his crew in the Pacific, but I have no way of knowing for sure. Do you know anyone in the photograph?"

Margie Schwartz adds:
"They were out on a navigation mission to test some new DME (distance measuring equipment) with members of other units when they went down."

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Last Updated
October 6, 2009

Catalina

MIA