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| USAAF 13th AF HQ  USAAF c1944 |
Pilot 2nd Lt. Arthur F. Parkhurst (MIA / KIA, BR) Evansville, IN Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. Edwin H. Franks, 2057272 (MIA / KIA) Toronto, Canada Engineer TSgt James G. Maynard, 34265608 (MIA / KIA) Ellenwood, GA Asst Engineer Sgt Philip Taliaferro, Jr. 36149428 (MIA / KIA) Jackson, MI Radio Sgt Marvin A. Gill, 39086814 (MIA / KIA, BR) Linden, CA Passenger Captain George W. Grismore, O-364822 (MIA / KIA, BR) Salt Lake City, UT MIA March 12, 1945 MACR 14323 Aircraft History Built by Douglas Aircraft Company. Constructors Number 18918. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as C-47A-65-DL Skytrain serial number 42-100455. Ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to the South Pacific (SOPAC). Wartime History Assigned to the 13th Air Force, Headquarters Squadron. This aircraft was adorned with the 13th Air Force insignia. Mission History On March 12, 1945 at 12:33pm took off from Tanauan Airfield on Leyte piloted by 2nd Lt. Arthur F. Parkhurst on a mission to deliver supplies to guerrilla forces including fuel, radio equipment and rations. Also aboard was Parkhurst's pet monkey. The weather was broken cumulus, base 2,000' - 7,000' visibility of 12 miles, improving. After takeoff there was no further communication from this aircraft. When this aircraft failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). In fact, the C-47 had crashed within 10-12 minutes after takeoff in the jungle. Search After the crash, aerial searches flew ten miles on each side of the flight route and found no evidence of this aircraft or crew. Wreckage During May 1989, a Filipino farmer hunting for rattan discovered the wreckage of this aircraft in the jungle on Leyte Island. The crash site included human remains, dog tags, shoes and the tail serial number of 42-100455 was visible with the 13th Air Force insignia. Afterwards, he notified the police of the discovery. Recovery of Remains In 1989, a Philippine National Police (PNP) officer contacted U.S. officials and delivered human remains, aircraft parts and artifacts including an identification tag belonging to Parkhurst that were recovered by locals and turned over to U.S. authorities. In total, these remains were stored for twenty years by the Department of Defense (DoD). Between 1989–2003 stored in the laboratory at U. S. Army Central Identification Laboratory Hawaii (CILHI) then 2003–2009 at the same laboratory when it became Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC). Durng 2009, JPAC scientist additional forensic analaysis on the recovered remains including dental and mitochondrial DNA (mDNA) from 2009 until 2011. On February 11, 2010 the Department of Defense (DoD) annonced Grismore was identified using mDNA from his nephew. On October 14, 2010 the Department of Defense (DoD) annonced Parkhurst was identified using dental and mDNA provided by his brother and sister. On April 20, 2011 the the Department of Defense (DoD) annonced Maynard was identified. During 2011, the Department of Defense (DoD) annonced Gill was identified. Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead the day of the mission. Each crew member earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Each member of the crew is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. After the 2010 identification of Parkhurst, a rosette was added next to his name. The other five remain listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Franks also has a memorial marker at Lake View Cemetery in Kendallville, IN at section I row 2 circle 2. Taliaferro also has a memorial marker at Fort Custer National Cemetery section MA, site 437. Grismore has a memorial marker at Memory Grove Memorial in Salt Lake City, UT. After the recovery of remains, on November 13, 2010 Grismore had a memorial service at Salt Lake City, UT and was buried on November 17, 2010 at Memory Grove Memorial in Salt Lake City, UT. Parkhurst was buried on October 16, 2010 at Valley View Memorial Gardens in Xenia, Ohio. Maynard also earned the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster. He has a memorial marker at East View Cemetery in East Atlanta, GA. After the recovery of remains, Maynard was buried on April 22, 2011 at Arlington National Cemetery at section 60 site 9611. During 2011, Gill was buried at Linden Cemetery in Linden, CA. Relatives Bryan Parkhurst (great nephew of Parkhurst) "Lt. Arthur Parkhurst was my Grandfather's brother and would have been my Great Uncle I also learned at the services yesterday that Arthur, who didn't smoke, traded his government issued cigarettes for a pet monkey. In the booklet the DPMO gave my Great Uncle Judd which described in depth the research and details of Arthur finally coming home, there is a section describing the remains found and within that there is a description of non-human remains being found in the wreckage. Uncle Judd noted 'monkey?' in the book." (Nephew of Marvin A. Gill) "My family was briefed by JPAC last week, and services for my uncle are scheduled for next month [2011]." John Frantzen Grismore (brother of Grismore) George Willard Grismore, Jr. (son of Grismore) References USAF Serial Number Search Results - C-47A-65-DL Skytrain 42-100455 "100455 (MSN 18918, 3rd BG) crashed during flight from Tanauan Airfield, Leyte, Philippines Mar 12, 1945. MACR 14323. 7 on board MIA. Wreckage found by Philippine farmer in 1989." Missing Air Crew Report 14323 (MACR 14323) created March 14, 1945 DPMO News Release Missing WWII Airman Identified October 14, 2010 [Grismore] via Wayback Machine Nov 29, 2010 DPMO News Release Missing WWII Airman Identified October 14, 2010 [Parkhurst] via Wayback Machine Nov 29, 2010 Courier Press "Years of wondering are over" October 16, 2010 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Arthur F. Parkhurst "recovered and identified" American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Edwin H. Franks American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - James G. Maynard "recovered and identified" American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Philip Taliaferro Jr. American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Marvin A. Gill American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - George W. Grismore "recovered and identified" FindAGrave - 2Lt Arthur F Parkhurst (photo, tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - 2LT Arthur Francis Parkhurst (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - 2LT Edwin H Franks (photo, tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Edwin Hill Franks (memorial marker) FindAGrave - TSgt James G Maynard (photo, tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - James G Maynard (Arlington National Cemetery photo) FindAGrave - James G. Maynard (East View Cemetery photo) FindAGrave - Sgt Philip Taliaferro, Jr (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Philip Taliaferro, Jr (memorial marker photo) FindAGrave - Marvin A. Gill (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - SGT Marvin A Gill (memorial marker) FindAGrave - Capt George Willard Grismore (photo, grave photo) FindAGrave - Capt George Willard Grismore (photo, obituary, tablets of the missing) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? 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 C-47  MIA 3 Missing |
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