ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 93961
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| Date: | Wednesday 14 February 1945 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Vought FG-1 Corsair |
| Owner/operator: | VMF-222, USMC |
| Registration: | 14094 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | 1/3 mile east of Lahug airfield, Cebu -
 Philippines
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Samar |
On 14 February 1945, VMF-222 flew 23 sorties from its base of Samar, Philippines, and suffered one loss. Three pilots, 2nd Lt Allen R Semb, 1st Lt Loren Cecil Wilder and 2nd Lt Emery E Nelson, were sent to check the airfields of Opon, Mactan Island, and Lahug, Cebu. No worthwile targets were seen at Opon, but a strafing run was made on what appeared to be a shiny object in a wooded revetment area west of Lahug airfield. Immediately after passing over the target, the FG-1 Buno 14094 of 1st Lt Wilder was seen to climb from his strafing altitude of 50 feet to approximately 350, then nosed over, crashed and exploded about 1/3 mile east of the runway. The flight circled back over the position but was not able to observer any life - only debris and black, oily smoke.
Nothing appeared to be wrong with his plane, nor did Wilder make any attempt to bail out. Tough no AA fire was seen by the other pilots, it was assumed that a lucky Japanese shot went into the cockpit and hit Wilder. He was officially listed as killed in action. His body was later found and he now rests in Manila American Cemetery.
Sources:
VMF-222 war diary, February 1945 (https://www.fold3.com/image/295348732)
https://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/USN/LLFeb45.htm
https://www.naval-history.net/WW2UScasaaDB-USMCbyNameW.htm
https://fr.findagrave.com/memorial/56764293/loren-c-wilder
https://pacificwrecks.com/airfields/philippines/lahug/
http://fallingrain.com/icao/RPVM.html
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 15-Feb-2022 13:43 | Laurent Rizzotti | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Country, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
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