R4D-5 Aircraft Crash - Jefferson Barracks Cemetery - Lemay, MO
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 38° 30.006 W 090° 16.784
15S E 737221 N 4264811
Built by Douglas. Delivered to the U. S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as C-47A-DLs Skytrain serial number 43-30708. Assigned to the U. S. Navy (USN) as R4D-5 bureau number 39090. Ferried overseas via Hawaii then across the Pacific to Australia Nov.10, 1943
Waymark Code: WM15TZ2
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 02/27/2022
Views: 0
County of memorial: St. Louis County
Location of memorial: Middle Dr. & Monument Dr., Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Lemay
"On July 23, 1944 took off from Mareeba Airfield piloted by Lt(jg) John Daniel Gross on a flight to Cairns Airfield then took off again on a flight bound for Momote Airfield on Los Negros Island. Aboard were sixteen crew and passengers from the U. S. Navy (USN). When this aircraft failed to return it was declared Missing In Action (MIA).
"In fact, this R4D-5 crashed into Mount Scratchley in the Owen Stanley Range of New Guinea. Aboard everyone was killed on impact." ~ Pacific Wrecks [link below]
Text on Memorial:
KILLED IN ACTION
NEW GUINEA - 32 JULY 1944
WILIAM H. ELDRIDGE
ACMM
July 8, 1923
[ACMM rank is Aviation Chief Machinist Mate - Equivalent to Army Sgt 1st Class (E-7)]
ROBERT E. KIEL
AMM2
November 24, 1917
[AMM2 Navy rank is Aviation Machinist Mate Petty Office Second Class - equivalent to Army Staff Sergeant (E-6)]
DONALD E. HUDDLESTON
S1
October 13, 1919
[S1 Navy rank is Seaman 1st Class, equivalent to Army Corporal (E-3)]
MAURICE D. LINDER
Ensign
December 13, 1920
[Ensign is the same as Army 2nd Lieutenant]
MARLIN R. MYERS
AMM2
April 24, 1925
Flight from Australia to New Guinea, crashed into mountains. Wreckage not found until 1970. 5 of 16 killed buried here under this stone.