Commando 44-77341

VARIANT: Curtiss C-46D-5-CU Commando

USAAF SERIAL NUMBER (S/N): 44-77341

CURTISS CONSTRUCTION NUMBER (C/N): 32737

COMMANDO LINE NUMBER (L/N): CU1273

FATE: Written off

  October 1944 to March 1945

  44-77341 - USAAF (USA)

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31 October 1944

Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Buffalo, NY.

Assigned to the 5^th Air Force, 54^th Troop Carrier Wing, 433^rd Troop Carrier Group, 70^th Troop Carrier Squadron operating in the Southwest Pacific theater.

Marked "XA395".

5 December 1944

Ferried through Brisbane Eagle Farm, Queensland, Australia.

Mid-December 1944

Arrived at Biak AAF, Dutch East Indies with the 70^th Troop Carrier Squadron.

Late February 1945

Moved to Dulag, Leyte, Philippines with the 70^th Troop Carrier Squadron.

10 March 1945

Went missing over the Philippines (37/37 missing). [MACR 13403]

Crew:
2^nd Lt. Clark E. Chapman, Pilot
2^nd Lt. Versal R. Josephson, Copilot
2^nd Lt. James R. Norton, Navigator
Cpl. Gordon G. Vondrak, Engineer
SSgt. William J. Treich, Radio Operator
1^st Lt. Martha F. Black, Flight Nurse
Cpl. Delbert W. Beery, Flight Nurse Aid

The Commando was performing an ambulance flight between Mabalacat, Luzon and Tanauan, Leyte, Philippines with 7 crew and 30 patients. It took off from Mabalacat around 1405 LT. The weather conditions were unfavorable, with low ceilings and five miles visibility at destination. At approximately 1645 LT, the crew radioed the control tower at Tanauan for landing instructions and requested five ambulances to stand by for patients. This was the last radio contact with the aircraft, which was later declared missing. Search missions were delayred due to bad weather.

12 March 1945

Condemned for salvage, missing.

13 March 1945

Douglas C-47 X146 piloted by Lt. Hayden takes off from Dulag and searches unsuccessfully over Leyte.

14 March 1945

Douglas C-47 X376 piloted by Capt. McGinnis takes off from Dulag and searches the northern half of Leyte and southern half of Samar without results, while C-47 X379 departs Dulag and searches the southern half of Leyte and Bohol.

15 March 1945

Aircraft XA363 and XA359 searches Leyte and the surrounding seas unsuccessfully.

17 March 1945

Aircraft X346 and X347 take off from Tanauan and search northern Panay, the east coast of Mindoro, northern Cebu, Masbate, Biliran, Tabas, Burias, Sibuyan, Remblew and the Ticao Islands, revealing nothing.

Unknown date

Crash site located on a mountain on Leyte, all occupants found dead. Remains recovered and buried on Leyte, later transported to the USA. Accident attributed to bad weather.