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| USN VD-3 |
Pilot LtCdr Alfred Wilstam, USN (KIA, BR) Co-Pilot Lt(jg) Gerald T. Kearns, USNR (KIA, BR) Crew AMM1c Cecil Earl Matthews, USN (KIA, BR) Crew ARM1c Richard Francis Coan, USN (KIA, BR) Crew PHOM1c Karl Woodward Ruess, USNR (KIA, BR) Crew AOM2c Joseph Anthony Kezich, USNR (KIA, BR) Crew AMM3c Paul Robert Cochran, USN (KIA, BR) Crew ARM3c Dave Bergmann, USN (KIA, BR) Crashed July 7, 1943 Aircraft History Built by Built by Consolidated Aircraft Corporation as Model 32 at San Diego. Constructors Number 1337. Assigned to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as B-24D-45-CO Liberator serial number 42-40260. Delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as PB4Y-1 Liberator bureau number 32005. Wartime History Assigned to Photographic Squadron 3 (VD-3). No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On July 7, 1943 took off from Hawaii on an aerial gunnery training mission. During the flight, this PB4Y-1 dove into the sea and exploded, killing the entire crew. Memorials The entire crew was officially declared dead the day of the mission. All are buried in a buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery at section F site 33. Matthews has a memorial marker at Youngwood Cemetery in Youngwood, PA. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - B-24D-45-CO Liberator 42-40260 Navy Serial Number Search Results - PB4Y-1 Liberator 32005 "32005 (ex USAAF B-24D 42-40260, VD-3) dove in and exploded Jul 7, 1943 Oahu, HI during aerial" FindAGrave - Alfred Wilstam (grave photo) FindAGrave - Gerald T. Kearns (grave photo) FindAGrave - Cecil Matthews (grave photo) FindAGrave - Cecil Matthews (memorial photo) FindAGrave - Richard F. Coan (grave photo) FindAGrave - Karl Woodward Ruess (grave photo) FindAGrave - Joseph Anthony Kezich (grave photo) FindAGrave - Paul R Cochran (grave photo) FindAGrave - Dave Bergmann (grave photo) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated July 6, 2022 |
 PB4Y-1 |
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