B-24L-5-CO Liberator 44-41482

[jerrycyoung]

My great-uncle, Sergeant, Wade A. Little was the navigator on B-24L-5-CO Liberator 44-41482 that went MIA on June 6, 1945. Family records state that this flight and crew were on RR when a typhoon caused the plane to go down at an unknown location in the South Pacific. Any more information would be greatly appreciated. I did recently come across this photo of what I was told was the aircraft

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[CATCH 22]

My great-uncle, Sergeant, Wade A. Little was the navigator on B-24L-5-CO Liberator 44-41482 that went MIA on June 6, 1945. Family records state that this flight and crew were on RR when a typhoon caused the plane to go down at an unknown location in the South Pacific. Any more information would be greatly appreciated. I did recently come across this photo of what I was told was the aircraftView attachment 557693....

Hi Jerry,
The last flight of 482 was not a bombing mission, but a courier flight. 24 persons were on board, from them 20 were passengers. Your great uncle was a sergeant and one of the passengers. Navigators and bombardiers on bombers (and the pilots of course) were officers with some specific training. It is possible that your great uncle flew on a completely different a/c as a e.g. gunner. He could be ground personnel as well. I can send you the MACR (Missing Air Crew Report) for this case. It doesn't show many details, but there is a map with the route of the plane, list of all missing persons etc. You might have it already so please inform me if you want it.

 

[mjfur]

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/91156346

 

[vanmac]

Jerry - thanks for posting this inquiry and the picture of the plane. My uncle, and namesake, Walter Van McCarty was also on the flight. He was a tail gunner on the 24, but on this hop he was a passenger. Interesting that the co-pilot's name was also McCarty.

Catch 22 - thanks for your spot on insight.

mjfur - thanks for the Nat. Archives Catalog link. Mrs. Knight's letter was most touching. My grandmother lost 2 sons in the war and the heartbreak really took a toll on her.

Jerry, here are a couple of links for you to peruse:

Pacific Wrecks
Jolly Rogers Index
The jolllyrogersweb.com site has been taken down and all the activity has moved over to Facebook: The Jolly Rogers Who's Who (5th Airforce 90th Bomb Group - Heavy)
The downside to the FB page is there is no "search" feature. The old homepage had a typo on my uncle's name, after many attempts I finally gave up on getting it corrected, then the site went away! Also there is a Virtual Cemetery for the the flight, I'll have to find the address for you.

Thanks again for your interest and please keep me looped in.
-Van McCarty
Meridian, MS

re: photo
My uncle is seated far left on front row (slight x mark under him). There is no date/location or information on the aircraft. There are precious few pictures of him.

 

[CATCH 22]

re: photo
There is no date/location or information on the aircraft.

Hi Van,
it's relatively easy to find that the B-24 on the photo is a Ford built B-24L-10, s/n 44-49627 from the 321-st BS, 90-th BG.

Was your uncle with the 321-st?

 

[vanmac]

Hi Van,
it's relatively easy to find that the B-24 on the photo is a Ford built B-24L-10, s/n 44-49627 from the 321-st BS, 90-th BG.
View attachment 558065
Was your uncle with the 321-st?

My records show that he was with the 400th Squadron (Black Pirates). I have no idea how he would be in a group photo with another group, but that is him and that is the plane. Thanks for checking it out for me. I owe you one! -vm

 

[fubar57]

This site may be able to help...B24BestWeb 16000⊕ PICs - WWII B-24 Liberator Bombers

 

[vanmac]

This site may be able to help...B24BestWeb 16000⊕ PICs - WWII B-24 Liberator Bombers

Many thanks!

 

[CATCH 22]

My records show that he was with the 400th Squadron (Black Pirates). I have no idea how he would be in a group photo with another group, but that is him and that is the plane. Thanks for checking it out for me. I owe you one! -vm

The first photo is in fact a portion of a bigger one (which is not on B24BESTWEB-site), showing 627 at San Jose field, Mindoro in 1945.

They might have used this a/c as a background only. What's interesting for me is that the above photo was taken from a higher point, much higher than the airplane itself. At the bottom one can recognize a shadow (left, bottom corner) which could be the top of a building. Looking at your photo, there is a tower behind the airplane. It could be a coincidence, but it could be the same place too. Who knows....

 

[vanmac]

Jerry - thanks for posting this inquiry and the picture of the plane. My uncle, and namesake, Walter Van McCarty was also on the flight. He was a tail gunner on the 24, but on this hop he was a passenger. Interesting that the co-pilot's name was also McCarty.

Catch 22 - thanks for your spot on insight.

mjfur - thanks for the Nat. Archives Catalog link. Mrs. Knight's letter was most touching. My grandmother lost 2 sons in the war and the heartbreak really took a toll on her.

Jerry, here are a couple of links for you to peruse:

Pacific Wrecks
Jolly Rogers Index
The jolllyrogersweb.com site has been taken down and all the activity has moved over to Facebook: The Jolly Rogers Who's Who (5th Airforce 90th Bomb Group - Heavy)
The downside to the FB page is there is no "search" feature. The old homepage had a typo on my uncle's name, after many attempts I finally gave up on getting it corrected, then the site went away! Also there is a Virtual Cemetery for the the flight, I'll have to find the address for you.

Thanks again for your interest and please keep me looped in.
-Van McCarty
Meridian, MS

re: photo
My uncle is seated far left on front row (slight x mark under him). There is no date/location or information on the aircraft. There are precious few pictures of him.

Jerry,
To clarify, the Virtual Cemetery is for all 90th Bomber Group KIAs in WWII, our kin are but two of the 843 memorials listed. As promised, here is the link:
90th BG WW11 KIAS: a Virtual Cemetery - Find A Grave