USAAF plane - Missing Caribbean - 24 Jan 1943

[Leendert]

On 24 Jan 1943 a USAAF airplane went missing on a flight between Borinquen Field, Puerto Rico and Waller Field, Trinidad. The plane was on its way to N. Africa.
Among the passengers was Major Lewin B. Barringer (O-322165) who was chief of the army glider production and training program and who had made fame in the glider world before.
Crew: Lt John J. Torrillo (P), Lt Albert O. Bain (CP), Lt John G. Marvin (N), TSgt Joseph Dragelis (E), Sgt John A. Miller (RO).
Other passengers were Col. Walter S. Smith, and dentists Lt Anees K. Khoury and Lt John D'Azzo.

I found no reference to this loss on sites as AAIR and accident-report.com or what type of airplane the men were in, all still listed as missing.

All further info welcome, thanks.

Regards,

Leendert

[Sean Welch]

There is an accident report number from the Air Force History Reference website as 43-1-24-500.

One of my favourite USAAF name look-up sites is no longer available, if anyone knows if http://ww2.usaafdata.com is planning to reappear, I would appreciate it.

Sean.

[RSwank]

Found this, which says the plane was a C-47.

http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/...2/286/2596274/

[Leendert]

Thanks for pointing me to the type, Rolland.
As it happens, I had (also) found the route Puerto Rico to Trinidad in another life insurance dispute...
Composition of crew seems consistent with a C-47.

Regards,
Leendert

[Leendert]

With more info to work with, I think it must have been C-47 41-38688.

Regards,

Leendert

[RSwank]

That would seem to be a good possibility.

http://www.ww.aerialvisuals.ca/Airfr...?Serial=180633

This even gives the pilot's name as Torillo, J. J.

http://www.accident-report.com/world...uertorico.html

[dp_burke]

This site ought to have the same data as the defunct air force data site

http://airforcehistoryindex.org/

TORILLO, J. J.;
BAIN, A.;
MARVIN, J.;
DRAGELIS, J.;
MILLER, J.;
SMITH, W.;
BARRINGER, L.
KHOURJ, A.;
B'AZZO, F.
(43-1-24-500)