Pacific Wrecks
Pacific Wrecks    
  Missing In Action (MIA) Prisoners Of War (POW) Unexploded Ordnance (UXO)  
Chronology Locations Aircraft Ships Submit Info How You Can Help Donate
 
  C-109 Liberator Express Serial Number 44-49628  
USAAF
10th AF
1330 AAFBU

Click For Enlargement
Click For Enlargement
Clayton Kuhles 2007
Pilot  1st Lt. Allen R. Turner, O-806939 (MIA / KIA) Brookline, MA
Co-Pilot  2nd Lt. Frederick W. Langhorst, O-810387 (MIA / KIA, BR) Yonkers, NY
Radio  Cpl Robert L. McAdoo, 18082676 (MIA / KIA) Overton, TX
Engineer  Pvt Joseph I. Natvik, 36816393 (MIA / KIA) Madison, WI
MIA  July 17, 1945
MACR  14769

Aircraft History
Built by Ford. Constructors Number 4483. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24L-10-FO Liberator serial number 44-49628. Converted to C-109 Liberator Express for use as a transport. Ferried overseas to India.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 10th Air Force (10th AF), 1330th Army Air Force Base Unit (1330th AAFBU). No known nickname or nose art.

Mission History
On July 17, 1945 took off from Jorhat Airfield in India piloted by 1st Lt. Allen R. Turner on a cargo flight bound for Hsinching Airfield in China. When this aircraft failed to arrive it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA).

Wreckage
On October 22, 2007 this aircraft was located by Clayton Kuhles / MIA Recoveries. at Dopowa Desali, a three day hike northeast of Bishmaknagar, Arunachal Pradesh State in India.

Recovery of Remains
During the initial discovery in 2007, bone fragments were recovered and sent to Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC).

During February 2009, contractor hired by JPAC traveled to the crash site to confirm the location. During that same year, a local resident turned over additional bone fragments he had taken from the crash site previously.

On November 18, 2016 the DoD announced the identification of Langhorst based on circumstantial evidence and a mDNA analysis that matched his nephew.

Memorials
The entire crew was officially declared dead on July 18, 1946. All are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing.

McAdoo is also memorialized on his parent's grave and a memorial marker at Overton City Cemetery in Overton, TX. Natvik is also memorialized at Arlington National Cemetery at Plot MF, 0, 10-2.

After the recovery of remains and identification of Langhorst, he will be buried on November 26, 2016 in Battle Creek, MI.

Relatives
Gail A. Hladky (daughter of Langhorst)

References
USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24L-10-FO Liberator 44-49628
"49628 converted to C-109. Missing Jul 17, 1945 on flight from Jorhat, India to Hsinching, China. Crew of 4 presumed killed. Wreckage spotted by a group of trekkers in November 2007 at Dopowa Desali in Mishimi Hills in Arunachal Pardesh, Northeast Idnia."
Missing Air Crew Report 14769 (MACR 14769)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Allen R. Turner
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Frederick W. Langhorst
"n 1945, 1LT Langhorst was the co-pilot of a C-109 aircraft which in en-route from Jorhat, India to Hsinching, China (while flying over the Hump) when it crashed in a remote mountainous area. Search efforts failed to discover the crash site. The crash site was discovered in 2007. Some remains were discovered at that time and additional remains were recovered in 2009. In 2016, the remains were identified as those of 1LT Langhorst. His name is permanently inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, The Philippines."
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Robert L. McAdoo Jr.
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Joseph I. Natvik
FindAGrave - 1Lt Allen Robert Turner (photo, tablets of the missing)
FindAGrave - 1Lt Frederick William Langhorst (tablets of the missing)
FindAGrave - Corp Robert L McAdoo, Jr (memorial marker photo, tablets of the missing)
FindAGrave - Robert L. McAdoo, Sr (memorial marker photos)
FindAGrave - PFC Joseph Ingvald Natvik (tablets of the missing)
FindAGrave - PFC Joseph Ingvald Natvik (memorial marker photo)
MIA Recoveries C-109 44-49628 Photo Gallery (photos)
DPAA News Release "Airman Missing From World War II Accounted For" November 18, 2016
Thanks to Clayton Kuhles for additional information

Contribute Information
Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned?
Do you have photos or additional information to add?

Last Updated
March 29, 2023

 

Tech Information
C-109

Photos
Photo Archive

MIA
MIA
3 Missing
Partially Resolved
  Discussion Forum Daily Updates Reviews Museums Interviews & Oral Histories  
 
Pacific Wrecks Inc. All rights reserved.
Donate Now Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram