Artikel Berkaitan Penemuan Bangkai Pesawat Tentera Di Hutan Gunung Bubu, Perak Pada 1 Mei 2010

1. Malaya Historical Group (MHG)

Petikan artikel daripada laman web Malaya Historical Group http://mhg.mymalaya.com/bruas_dc3.htm berkaitan penemuan bangkai pesawat tentera yang terhempas di kawasan hutan Gunung Bubu, Perak:
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Bruas DC-3 Serial Number 43-16261

about this wreck. The wreck still intact and we will visit this site soon for further investigation.

So far there is no human remains found which we believed they were bailed out from the aircraft or we assumed they were successfully crashed landed this aircraft in the jungle due to intact cockpit section but were captured by Communist Terrorist or being killed in the jungle after getting lost.

I contacting several researcher which familiar with DC-3. From the serial number, it was found on the records below :-

*This is a really interesting aircraft.  It disappered on a flight from Singapore to Butterworth on November 27, 1945.  They searched for it until December 16, 1945 and gave up.  The aircraft had three crew members who are shown as "Missing in Action" on the "Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetary"  If their remains have not previously been recovered, they may still be in or around the aircraft. Mike Stowe*

The crew was:- 

• Pilot: F/O Judson B. Baskett, T-64445, from Texas 
• Copilot:  1LT William H. Myers, O-796183, from Pennsylvania 
• Radio Operator: PFC Donald E. Jones, 37484709, from Minnesota.

Thanks Mike for the info.

2. Pacific Wreck

Petikan artikel daripada laman web Pacific Wreck http://www.pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/c-47/43-16261.html berkaitan penemuan bangkai pesawat tentera USAF tersebut:
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C-47B-1-DL Dakota Serial Number 43-16261  

Pilot
F/O Judson B. Baskett, T-64445 (MIA / KIA) TX

Co-PIlot
1st Lt. William H. Myers, O-796183 (KIA) Elizabethtown, PA

Radio
Pfc Donald E. Jones, 37484709 (MIA / KIA) MN

MIA 
November 27, 1945

MACR 
15001

Crew History

All three crew members were part of the 1305th Army Air Force Base Unit.
Baskett was from Texas and married. Jones was from Minnesota and married.

Aircraft History
Built by Douglas. Constructors Number 20727. Assigned to the Air Transport Command (ATC). When lost, engines R-1830-90-C serial numbers CP-139362 and P-1333226.

Mission History
Took off from Singapore on a transport flight via Swittenham to Butterworth Airfield. Weather was scattered showers and occasional rain, visibility 15-20 miles. Last reported location by radio was over Malaoca.

Search
After being reported missing, USAAF aircraft were briefed to look for this aircraft, also RAF aircraft cooperated in searching. On the fifth day of searching, flares were sighted at 100 degrees 59' east and 4 degrees 24' north. But no results were reported.

Memorials
The crew was presumed dead the day of the crash. Officially, the crew were declared dead a year later on November 28, 1946. All are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery. No memorial service was ever conducted for Myers, whose mother hoped that he would one day return.

Wreckage
Crashed into a jungle slope, the nose section was crushed but the wings and tail section remain largely intact.

Initially discovered during July 1966, the wreckage was spotted from the air and investigated in the jungle near Perak, Malaysia. The tail serial number was clearly visible "316261" and American markings. During middle July 1966, a spokesman at the Pentagon was quoted in WWII Pilot's Mother Wants Jungle Search "the plane was identified by numbers on the tail section spotted by aircraft flying overhead. Identification of the persons presumably killed in the crash was done by checking with the Army casually branch."

In early 1985, the wreck was rediscovered again by two rattan (palm) collectors, who notified the press and Museum Negara and Military Museum.

In 2009, locals again rediscovered the wreck and photographed it. They reported the wreck to the US Embassy in Malaysia an Pacific Wrecks.

Brig General (Ret) Akbar Din adds:
"We have [rediscovered] found a wreckage of a US Plane (Air Transport Command - U.S. Army Air Forces). Tail number 16261. I got pictures of the plane as attached. Please be fast or else the villages is going to cart it (with the remains of US Pilot) to the scrap dealers."

This wreck was reported to JPAC on October 13, 2009 and acknowledge by JPAC on October 14, 2009.

Relatives
Are you a relative of any member of this crew? Contact us immediately .

Bill Myers (nephew of Myers)
John "Chris" Kerr (great nephew of Baskett)

References
WWII Pilot's Mother Wants Jungle Search July 19, 1966
The Star - Mystery in the jungle June 24, 1985
MACR 15001 lists co-pilot as "Meyers" (incorrect) while ABMC lists him as "Myers" (correct)
Thanks to Brig Gen (Army) Akbar Din (Ret) wreck report and Thomas Ooi for photos
Thanks to Bill Myers, Anthony Morris, Shaharom Ahmad for additional information

Contribute Information
Do you have photos or additional information to add?

Last Updated
September 3, 2010