[Leendert]

US Army Field Artillery officer Lt Col Frederick G. Terry (O-18044) was killed when the light observation plane he was in had collided with a 'friendly bomber' over/near Saipan on 24 Jun 1944.
Lt Col Terry was attached to the Northern Troops and Landing Force Staff.

I wonder if this light plane was USMC OY-1 Sentinel BuNo 60498 of VMO-4?

If so, what happened to the pilot and is info available about the fate of the 'friendly bomber'?

Online newspaper report can be read via Chroniclingamerica.loc.gov in the Evening Standard (DC) of 29 June 1944 (p. 7).

(In case it was a VMO-4 aircraft, this text also speaks of a collision, but here with a vehicle on take-off....
"Considerably less lucky in the course of the Saipan operation were the men of VMO-4, whose mission in support of the 4th Marine Division was identical to that executed by VMO-2 for the 2d Division. The first two planes of VMO-4 left the White Plains 150 miles offshore on 19 June and arrived safely at
the Charan-Kanoa strip. The remaining aircraft, in crates, were brought ashore two days later; by 22 June, eight squadron planes were in operation. From this point on, and for the duration of its employment on Saipan, bad luck appeared to dog the squadron. Six days after reaching Saipan, VMO-4 had already lost a substantial number of its original aircraft. Two planes were damaged beyond repair by enemy fire; another had to be scrapped after it collided with a vehicle during takeoff. Loss of the fourth plane resulted in the death of the pilot."



All further info welcome, thanks.

Regards,
Leendert