RAAF
82 Squadron
Larry
McKenna 1999
Pilot Fling
Officer Morris Bellert, 404011 (MIA / KIA)
MIA October 18, 1944
Mission History
The plane was hit by ground fire and ditched near Manokwari. The piloted listed as
MIA, presumed killed.
Wreckage
Bellert's body was found in December 1998 by a fisherman off Sorong
in the isolated Vogelkop region of Irian Jaya. The discovery of this
wreck was reported to the RAAF by Max Ammer of Irian Diving on advice
from Bas Kreuger. The aircraft was intact, but is moderately damaged
from its ditching.
Larry McKenna adds:
"I dove this P-40 wreck shortly after Bellert's remains were removed.
I dove it again a few weeks ago. As a result, I probably have the only
video of this wrecked plane that includes views from all angles. This
last dive revealed a very interesting aspect to the plane that has not
been observed before. Now have a GPS location as well. The
plane was not all in 1 piece. What is there is in fairly
good conditions considering the 60 years of sleep. The
next dive expedition to Manokwari wrecks will occur in 2006 in month
of May. I will probably lead those dives again. There are 12 beds on
the dive ship. Visibility is usually TERRIBLE because of currents
off a near by reef system."
Remains Recovered
On April 15, 1999, Flying Officer Morris Bellert, an RAAF pilot was
buried at Lae War Cemetery
in Papua New Guinea - fifty five years after he was killed in action
during World War II. His son, Allan, from Canberra, Australia said that
it was a great relief to know finally what happened to his father and
to at last have him buried in a marked grave alongside hundreds of his
World War II comrades - ending what for him had been a life-long search
for his father.
References
Thanks to Gregory Williams, RAAF, Canberra for additional assistance
and serial number, and Daniel
Leahy for additional information.
P-40
27m
MIA
