Captain John Alley led a crew in the 462nd Bomb Group, 58th Bomb Wing, XX Bomber Command in the China-Burma-India theater. He and four of his normal 462nd crew were assigned to temporary duty with the 2nd Air Transport Squadron, a C-109 tanker unit to haul fuel from India to Bomber Commands advance base in Chengdu, Sichuan, China. The C-109 was a converted B-24 with limited armament and additional fuel tanks.
On September 16th 1944, the plane took off from Kalaikunda, India heading for Chengdu over the Himalayan Mountains. He was piloting C-109 42-51887.
After takeoff, the base lost contact with the airplane.
The crash investigation found that once the plane cleared Kalaikunda it was considered lost until reported found by natives in the high mountainous area between India and China at 29 degrees 35 minutes North, 103 degrees 05 minutes East. Wreckage was scattered over a 3-square mile area. Personnel effects found for one of the crew men identified the aircraft. Subsequent research pinpointed the crash site as Mt. Omei
Four other men perished in the crash. They were:
1st Lt. John Miesse
2nd Lt Cyril Eustis
FO William Cadugan
S/Sgt Alexander Zwiercun
On September 16th 1944, the plane took off from Kalaikunda, India heading for Chengdu over the Himalayan Mountains. He was piloting C-109 42-51887.
After takeoff, the base lost contact with the airplane.
The crash investigation found that once the plane cleared Kalaikunda it was considered lost until reported found by natives in the high mountainous area between India and China at 29 degrees 35 minutes North, 103 degrees 05 minutes East. Wreckage was scattered over a 3-square mile area. Personnel effects found for one of the crew men identified the aircraft. Subsequent research pinpointed the crash site as Mt. Omei
Four other men perished in the crash. They were:
1st Lt. John Miesse
2nd Lt Cyril Eustis
FO William Cadugan
S/Sgt Alexander Zwiercun
Captain John Alley led a crew in the 462nd Bomb Group, 58th Bomb Wing, XX Bomber Command in the China-Burma-India theater. He and four of his normal 462nd crew were assigned to temporary duty with the 2nd Air Transport Squadron, a C-109 tanker unit to haul fuel from India to Bomber Commands advance base in Chengdu, Sichuan, China. The C-109 was a converted B-24 with limited armament and additional fuel tanks.
On September 16th 1944, the plane took off from Kalaikunda, India heading for Chengdu over the Himalayan Mountains. He was piloting C-109 42-51887.
After takeoff, the base lost contact with the airplane.
The crash investigation found that once the plane cleared Kalaikunda it was considered lost until reported found by natives in the high mountainous area between India and China at 29 degrees 35 minutes North, 103 degrees 05 minutes East. Wreckage was scattered over a 3-square mile area. Personnel effects found for one of the crew men identified the aircraft. Subsequent research pinpointed the crash site as Mt. Omei
Four other men perished in the crash. They were:
1st Lt. John Miesse
2nd Lt Cyril Eustis
FO William Cadugan
S/Sgt Alexander Zwiercun
On September 16th 1944, the plane took off from Kalaikunda, India heading for Chengdu over the Himalayan Mountains. He was piloting C-109 42-51887.
After takeoff, the base lost contact with the airplane.
The crash investigation found that once the plane cleared Kalaikunda it was considered lost until reported found by natives in the high mountainous area between India and China at 29 degrees 35 minutes North, 103 degrees 05 minutes East. Wreckage was scattered over a 3-square mile area. Personnel effects found for one of the crew men identified the aircraft. Subsequent research pinpointed the crash site as Mt. Omei
Four other men perished in the crash. They were:
1st Lt. John Miesse
2nd Lt Cyril Eustis
FO William Cadugan
S/Sgt Alexander Zwiercun
Gravesite Details
John Frederick Miesse has a memorial at Amanda Twp. Cemetery. However he died in the service in China. Son of Elmer Pearl Miesse and Iva Day Hartman.
Family Members
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