42-96721                     (MACR 11226)

 

On 6 January 1945 a Curtiss C-46A Commando, “Stork,” # 42-96721, assigned to 10th Air Force, 1333rd AAF Base Unit, Chabua, India, departed the airfield at Kunming, China, on a cargo and passenger ferry mission to Chabua, India, through the Himalayan mountain range (the Hump). Last contact was with Kunming ATC at about 0937 Zulu. The C-46A encountered moderate to severe icing. It may have a resupply mission enroute because one of the crew was a supply kicker. It crashed enroute and the crew and passengers were killed. The crew and passengers were:

 

                                  Pilot                             2ndLt Sidney L. Murphy                      0-545079

                                  Co-Pilot                       2ndLt Delmar K. Brown                      0-781202

                                  Radio Operator            Cpl Alvin P. Palecek                            36279188

                                  Flight Clk                     PFC Edmund T. Murphy                     37628806    (Kicker)

                                  Passenger                     Tech 3rd J.V. Dolton                            20833313

                                  “                                  Sgt J. K. Hart                                        6584429

                                  “                                  Sgt Raymond F. Brunner                      6916014

                                  “                                  Tech 4th Robert F. Sherman                 7031642

                                  “                                  Tech 4th Lee R. Casey                          38027845

                                  “                                  Tech 4th O. G. Dishman                       15048212

                                  “                                  Tech 4th Pryor D. Collings                   34081210

                                  “                                  1stLt W. Scherer                                  0-1106452

                                  “                                  2ndLt Carl D. Moyes                           0-874900

                                  “                                  1stLt William Z. Beherer

MURPHY, SIDNEY LANDRY, Second Lieutenant, # 0-545079, USAAF

 

Sidney L. Murphy was born on 9 December 1919 in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Edward Murphy (1892-    ) (LA) and Catherine Josephine (Landry) Murphy (1888-    ) (married 22 July 1915, New Orleans, LA). Siblings were Edward L. Murphy (1916-    ). Living with them in 1930 were maternal grandparents, Edmond L. Landry (1858-    ) and Eva Catherine Landry (1865-    ), maternal aunt, Gertrude (Landry) Jones (1894-    ), Daniel H. Jones (1889-    ) (AL), their son and Sidney’s first cousins, Elmo Lee Jones (1916-    ), and maternal aunt, Alberta Landry (1898-    ). Living with Catherine Josephine Murhy (widowed), Edward L. Murphy, a student, in 1940, was Alberta Landy.

 

He registered for the WWII draft on 1 July 1941, resided at 3309 Motor Ave., Plans, Los Angeles, CA, employed by Douglas Aircraft, Santa Monica, CA, and described himself as 6’, 160 lbs, with brown hair and gray eyes. He noted that he had a small scar on his forehead. After enlisting in the USAAF, he completed flight schools for the Curtiss C-46 Commando. He earned his commission and wings. He was sent overseas to India. On 6 January 1945 a Curtiss C-46A Commando, “Stork,” # 42-96721, assigned to 10th Air Force, 1333rd AAF Base Unit, Chabua, India, departed the airfield at Kunming, China, on a cargo and passenger ferry mission to Chabua, India, through the Himalayan mountain range (the Hump). Last contact was with Kunming ATC at about 0937 Zulu. The C-46A encountered moderate to severe icing. It crashed enroute and the crew and passengers were killed. He is remembered on the tablets of the missing in the Manila American Cemetery & Memorial, Philippines. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal.