Pacific Wrecks

Missing In Action (MIA)

Prisoners Of War (POW)

Unexploded Ordnance (UXO)

Chronology

R4D-5 Dakota Bureau Number 12406

USMC
MAW 2
MAG 25
VMJ-353

Pilot ? (KIA)
Passengers 23 (KIA)
Crashed June 8, 1943

Aircraft History
Built by Douglas. Contract AC-20669. Construction Number 9178. Delivered to the U. S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as C-47A-1-DL serial number 42-23316. On March 11, 1943 delivered to the U. S. Navy (USN) as R3D-5 Dakota bureau number 12406.

Wartime History
Assigned to the U. S. Marine Corps (USMC), Marine Air Wing 2, Marine Air Group 25. On April 26, 1943 assigned to squadron VMJ-352. No known nickname or nose art.

Mission History
On June 8, 1943 took off from Tontouta Airfield near Nouméa on New Caledonia. Aboard was a total of twenty four including personnel from U. S. Navy Carrier Air Group 11 (CAG-11) returning from rest and recuperation (R&R). Everyone aboard was killed in the crash.

References
Marine Aircraft Group Twenty Five War Diary June 1, 1943 - July 1, 1943 does not mention loss on June 8, 1943
AAIR USN Overseas Aircraft Loss List June 1943 R4D-5 Dakota 12406 MAG-25
Eleven "Planes In Peril Part 1" 29:29 - 29:54 recollections of pilot "Bill" Strahan about the loss of CAG-11 personnel returning from R&R aboard this aircraft

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Last Updated
October 8, 2018

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