Aircraft History
Built by Douglas at El Segundo. Constructors Number 1193. Assigned to the USS Wasp CV-7. After Wasp was sunk, her aircraft were transfered to Henderson Field on Guadalcanal.

They are a USN not USMC crew from VS-71 which had been aboard WASP CV-7. They were committed to Guadalcanal after WASP had been sunk. The pilot is Ltjg. C. H. Mester and the gunner is Elsworth L. Forwood ARM2. They were shotdown and in turn claimed one floatplane shotdown.

Wartime History
Took off from Henderson Field on a search mission over Rekata Bay. Over the target, they claimed one Japanese floatplane shot down, but were hit by anti-aircraft fire and crashed off Santa Isabel Island.

Rescue
Both crew were picked up by local scouting network and brought to Tataba and Coastwatcher Kuper, who radioed for their urgent pickup due to wounds suffered by Forwood. American forces at Henderson Field was unable to send any rescue immediately, because they had suffered a bombarded by Japanese warships that night and no planes were available. Kuper performed surgery on Forwood and removed a bullet from his leg.

Later, both crew members were evacuated to safety.

Jim Sawruk adds:
"They may have been picked up by a USMC J2F Duck or got back by a coastal vessel. I do not think that a PBY was used this time."

Wreckage
An engine and pieces of wreckage on the reef are likely from this aircraft.

References
Thanks to Jim Sawruk for additional information
Note: other sources incorrectly list the pilot as "Master".

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Last Updated
November 17, 2009

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