41-24739 C46
On 29 January 1944 a Curtiss C-46A Commando, # 41-24739, assigned to 10th Air Force, Eastern Sector, Station 11, Misamari, India, departed the airfield at Chanyi, China, at 0904 Zulu, on a cargo mission through the Himalayan mountain range (the Hump) returning to Misamari, India. The crew was:
Pilot 2ndLt Huland K. Hunt 0-801951 KIA
Co-Pilot 2ndLt Lawrence H. Fox 0-802912 KIA
Crew Chief Cpl Alphonse B. Kupchun 31108558 RTD
Radio Operator PFC Kenneth L. Seidel 37313558 KIA
The next-of-kin listed were:
Hunt Verna W. Hunt, W, c/o Henry Camp, Ocala, FL
Fox Pauline E. Fox, M, 1134 Buchanan St., Charlotte, NC
Kupchun Helen C. Kupchun, W, 45 Fairmount St., Nashua, NH
Seidel Paul J. Seidel, F, Rte 3, Como Stn, Saint Paul, Minn.
The C-46 departed Misamari, India, on 29 January 1944 at 0408 Zulu and arrived at Chanyi, China, at 0811 Zulu, same date. It departed Chanyi at 0940 Zulu for Misamari. A “Request News” was sent after the expiration of its ETA. Chanyi reported the C46 landed there at 1446 Zulu. On 31 January 1944 Kunming was queried about the C46. No answer was received. On 2 February, a C46 was instructed to land at Kunming and verify the status of 41-24739. That C46 reported that 24739 had not landed at Kunming (erroneous msg) and that Kunming reported 24739 landed at Mohanbari, India, on 29 January at 1444 Zulu. A msg to all ATC fields in China got no reports. On 3 February 1944, 24739 was reported missing.
HUNT, HULAND KEIRN, Second Lieutenant, # 0-801951
Huland K. “Buddy” Hunt was born 11 January 1924 in Florida to Enos Lewis Hunt (1894-1982) and Ora Belle (Keirn) Hunt (1902-1991). Siblings included Lorena Jane (Hunt) Owens (1922- ) and Gayle Shannon Hunt (1927- ). He was married to Verna I. (Ward) Hunt on 13 December 1942 in Sumter Co., Florida.
He enlisted in the USAAF in Tampa, Florida, on 1 April 1942. After enlisting in the USAAF, he completed flight instruction through advanced school and was multi-engine rated. He earned his commission and pilot wings. He was sent overseas to India and assigned to pilot the C-46 Commando transport. On 29 January 1944 a Curtiss C-46A Commando, # 41-24739, assigned to 10th Air Force, Eastern Sector, Station 11, Misamari, India, departed the airfield at Chanyi, China, at 0904 Zulu, on a cargo mission through the Himalayan mountain range (the Hump) returning to Misamari, India. The C-46 departed Misamari, India, on 29 January 1944 at 0408 Zulu and arrived at Chanyi, China, at 0811 Zulu, same date. It departed Chanyi at 0940 Zulu for Misamari. A “Request News” was sent after the expiration of its ETA. Chanyi reported the C46 landed there at 1446 Zulu. On 31 January 1944 Kunming was queried about the C46. No answer was received. A msg to all ATC fields in China got no reports. On 3 February 1944, 24739 was reported missing. He is remembered on the tablets of the missing in the Manila American Cemetery & Memorial, Philippines. A memorial marker was placed in the Evergreen Cemetery, Bushnell, Sumter Co., Florida.