Commando 44-77341
Aircraft Identification
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
Operational Record
October 1944 to March 1945
44-77341 - USAAF (USA)
31 October 1944
Delivered from the Curtiss-Wright factory in Buffalo, NY.
Assigned to the 5th Air Force, 54th Troop Carrier Wing, 433rd Troop Carrier Group, 70th 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 70th Troop Carrier Squadron.
Late February 1945
Moved to Dulag, Leyte, Philippines with the 70th Troop Carrier Squadron.
10 March 1945
Went missing over the Philippines (37/37 missing). [MACR 13403]
Crew:
2nd Lt. Clark E. Chapman, Pilot
2nd Lt. Versal R. Josephson, Copilot
2nd Lt. James R. Norton, Navigator
Cpl. Gordon G. Vondrak, Engineer
SSgt. William J. Treich, Radio Operator
1st 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.
Last edited: 23/09/2020