1945 — Mar 10, USAAF C-46 medical evac. crash on mt. ~Tanauan Airfield, Leyte, Philippines–all 37

Compiled 12-17-2023 by Wayne Blanchard for: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/ 

–37  Aviation Safety Network. USAAF C-46 crash near Tanauan Airfield, Philippines, 3-10-45.

–37  Pacific Wrecks. C-46D-5-CU Commando Serial Number 44-77341 call Sign XA395. Webpage

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p. 44:

“Date:                          Saturday 10 March 1945

“Time:                         17:00

“Type:                         Curtiss C-46D-5-CU Commando

“Operator:                   United States Army Air Force – USAAF

“Registration:              44-77341

“MSN:                         32737

“First Flight:                1944

….

“Fatalities:                   Fatalities:   7 / Occupants:   7

“Passengers:                Fatalities: 30 / Occupants: 30

“Total:                         Fatalities: 37 / Occupants: 37

….

“Location:                   near Tanauan Airfield (Philippines)

“Phase:                        Unknown

“Nature:                       Military

“Departure airport:      Mabalacat Airfield, Philippines

“Destination airport:    Tanauan Airfield, Philippines.

“Narrative:

“The C-46 transport plane, operated by the 433rd Troop Carrier Group (TCG), 70th Troop Carrier Squadron (TCS), flew a medical evacuation flight from Mabalacat Airfield to Tanauan Airfield, Philippines. Weather conditions were unfavorable, with a low ceiling, scattered and five miles visibility at the destination. The airplane crashed.”

Pacific Wrecks. C-46D-5-CU Commando Serial Number 44-77341 call Sign XA395:

Pilot  2nd Lt Clark E. Chapman, O-711586 (KIA, BR) Alton, IL
Co-Pilot  2nd Lt. Versal R. Josephson, O-778496 (KIA, BR) St. Anthony, ID
Navigator  2nd Lt James R. Norton, O-694696 (KIA, BR) Alamosa, CO
Engineer  Cpl Gordon G. Vondrak, 35323126 (KIA, BR) Thompson, NB
Radio  SSgt William J. Treich, 32454260 (KIA, BR) Jersey City, NJ
Flight Nurse  1st Lt. Martha F. Black, N-787995 (KIA, BR) Altoona, PA
Flight Nurse Aid  Cpl Delbert W. Beery, 35093544 (KIA, BR) North Munebeater, IN
Passenger  Captain Harry Schuessler, O-133913 6th Infantry, HQ (KIA, BR) St. Louis, MS
Passenger  Pfc Frank W. Gorley, 34199755 (KIA, BR) Kellyton, AL
Passenger  Pfc Lewis D. Bolynn…27th Infantry Regiment…(KIA, BR) Gastonia, NC
Passenger  Pvt Clifton F. Disney, 3546823 (KIA, BR)
Passenger  Pfc Harry Uller, 32892809 (KIA, BR) Ozore Park, NY
Passenger  Sgt Raeburn H. Coker, 38082206 (KIA, BR) Huntsville, TX
Passenger  Pvt Benjamin N. Crossland, 39130370 (KIA, BR) CA
Passenger  2nd Lt. Alfred S. Hazard, O-1292520 127th Inf., G. (KIA, BR) Tekoma Park, MD
Passenger  Pfc Newman N. Finks, 20506483 (KIA, BR) Rausses, OH
Passenger  Pfc Robert E. Sosey, 35237039 126th Infantry Regiment, K Company (KIA, BR)
Passenger  SSgt Daniel Griffin, 32119789 44th Tank Battalion (KIA, BR) Long Island City, NY
Passenger  Pvt Eugene McClendon, 34493031 160th Infantry (KIA, BR) TN
Passenger  Pfc Charles H. Pretzer, 36652675 148th Inf. Regiment, 37th Inf. Div. (KIA, BR) IL
Passenger  Pvt William E. Hunter…152nd Field Artillery, 43rd Inf. Div. (KIA, BR) Rochester, NY
Passenger  Pfc Raymond H. Kleiber, 36587162 (KIA, BR)
Passenger  SSgt Joseph K. Brugas…289th Field Artillery Observation Bn. (KIA, BR) Munhall, PA
Passenger  Pfc Charles H. Fox…8th Inf. Reg., 1st Cavalry Div. (KIA, BR) Philadelphia, PA
Passenger  Pfc Erwin A. Pohl…129th Infantry Regiment, 37th Inf. Div. (KIA, BR) Hampton, NB
Passenger  Pvt Thomas J. Treneman, 32215922 (KIA, BR)
Passenger  MSgt Arthur M. Ruley…20th Inf. Reg., 6th Inf. Division (KIA, BR) Carpenter, WY
Passenger  TSgt Lois Bell…63rd Infantry Reg., 6th Infantry Division (KIA, BR) Longdale, OK
Passenger  Cpl Frederick George Dyas…6th Recon Troop, 6th Inf. Div. (KIA, BR) Hinsdale, IL
Passenger  Pfc Calvin J. Snow, 38274323 (KIA, BR) OK
Passenger  Pfc Clarance M. Snyder, 39230211 (KIA, BR)
Passenger  Captain Floyd E. Walther…127th Inf, 32 Division, HQ (KIA, BR) Oconomowoc, WI
Passenger  Pfc Alvin L. Nelson, 37159302 127th Inf, 32 Division (KIA, BR) Cannon Falls, MN
Passenger  Pvt John Garner…2021st Quartermaster Truck Company, Aviation (KIA, BR) AL
Passenger  Pvt James H. Heiskell, 35696679 (KIA, BR) TN
Passenger  T/5 James F. Carroccio…169th Infantry Reg., 43rd Infantry Division (KIA, BR) RI
Passenger  Captain Abraham Adelsohn, O-446246 25th Medical Battalion (KIA) Brooklyn, NY

“Crashed  March 10, 1945
“MACR  13403

….

“Mission History

“On March 10, 1945 at 10:17am took off from Clark Field No. 2 on Luzon piloted by 2nd Lt Clark E. Chapman with two flight nurses from the 820th Medical Air Evacuation Squadron, then landed at nearby Mabalacat Airfield where thirty medical patients were loaded aboard for evacuation.

“At roughly 2:00pm-2:10pm this C-46 took off from Mabalacat Airfield on a flight bound for Tanauan Airfield on Leyte. The weather conditions were unfavorable, with a low ceiling, scattered and five miles visibility at the destination. At approximately 4:30pm to 5:00pm this aircraft called to the control tower at Tanauan Airfield for landing instructions and requested five ambulances to stand by for patients. This was the last radio contact with the aircraft. When this aircraft failed to arrive it was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA).

….

“Wreckage: Afterwards [after March 17], the crash site was located on a mountain on Leyte, likely due to bad weather.

“Memorials: All crew and passengers were officially declared dead the day of the mission. Since this aircraft was lost over a non-combat area, none of the crew or passengers earned the Purple Heart, posthumously.”

Sources

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation, Database, 1945, p. 44. USAAF C-46 crash near Tanauan Airfield, Philippines, 3-10-1945. Accessed 12-18-2023 at:

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/dblist.php?Year=1945&sorteer=datekey&page=44

Pacific Wrecks. C-46D-5-CU Commando Serial Number 44-77341 call Sign XA395. Accessed 12-18-2023 at: https://pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/c-46/44-77341.html