Archive Report: Allied Forces

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23 Squadron Corsair F4U-ID NZ5450 F/O. Victor Jack Mortensen

Operation: 'Dumbo' escort off New Ireland (1)

Date: 28th March 1945 (Wednesday)

Unit: No. 23 (NZ) Squadron

Type: Vought Corsair F4U-ID

Serial: NZ5450 (2)

Code: 450

Base: Emirau, St Matthias Group, Bismarck Archipelago

Location: Bismark Sea off Djaul Island

Pilot: F/O. Victor Jack Mortensen NZ/4212586 RNZAF Age 24. Missing - believed killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off at 09:15 as one of a pair, flying 'No 2' to P/O. Henry Charles Brougham NZ/4216668. Twenty miles SE of Djaul Island, after moving up on the leader, who was communicating with the 'Dumbo' Catalina by visual signals, collided with NZ5430 (3) when crossing underneath at 3,000 feet. NZ5450's tail was sliced off by the leader's propeller, its pilot baling out at 1,000 feet over the sea at 10:30 hrs.

An immediate search found no trace of him, however, and he is commemorated on the Bourail Memorial.

P/O. Brougham successfully baled out and survived the accident uninjured, being picked up by the Catalina he had been escorting after only 20 minutes in the water.

(1) Dumbo was the code name used by the Air Force during the 1940s and 1950s to signify search and rescue missions, conducted in conjunction with military operations, by long-range aircraft flying over the ocean. The purpose of Dumbo missions was to rescue downed allied aviators as well as seamen in distress.

(2) NZ5450 Details: Shipped from USA on 07 August 1944 aboard 'USS Attu' - Assembled in Espiritu Santo and BOC Unit 60 on 31 August 1944 - At Espiritu Santo September 1944 - To No.15 Squadron on 28 September 1944 - To No.24 Squadron by early November 1944 - To No.19 Squadron on 20 November 1944 - To No.22 Squadron on 16 January 1945 - To No.23 Squadron by May 1945 - Aircraft written off books at Emirau.

(3) NZ5430 Details: Shipped from USA on 24 July 1944 aboard 'USS Winnebago' - Assembled in Espiritu Santo and BOC Unit 60 on 12 August 1944 - At Espiritu Santo August 1944 - To No.24 Squadron by early November 1944 - To No.19 Squadron on 20 November 1944 - To No.22 Squadron on 08 February 1945 - To No 23 Squadron by March 1945 - Aircraft written off books at Emirau.

Burial and further details:

F/O. Victor Jack Mortensen. Bourail Memorial Panel 4. Born at Cambridge on the 11th October 1920. After leaving school, he spent five years with his father on his farm at Kaukapakapa and then took a position with Motor Specialists Ltd. in Auckland in the Motor Spare Parts service.NZ Army/TF (2Bn Auckland Regt) 1yr; RNZAF Waipapakauri as Aircrafthand (ADU) 24th Octover 1942. Initial Training Wing 03rd March 1943, remusted as a pilot U/T on the 04th March 1943. No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School 29th May 1943. No. 2 Service Flying Training School 24th July 1943. Undertook his first solo flight after just 7 hours of instruction. Wings awarded on the 27th September 1943 and commissioned 20th November 1943.

Selected as flying instructor posted to the Central Flying School at Tauranga for a course of instruction. on the 11th December 1943. With No. 1 Elementary Flying Training Schoolas instructor 08th February 1945. 44. With 20 Operational Training Unit 30th September 1944 flying the P-40.

Joined 23 squadron on the 29th Januar the Corsair. Posted with the suadron to the South Pacific pm the 12th February 1945. He had accrued 961 flyingy hours with 80 on the aCorsair.

Son of Victor McGregor Mortensen (died 30th August 1955, age 68) and Amy Gravner Mortensen (née Wahaley - died in 1960, age 71); husband of Marie Rae Mortensen (née Mckoy - later Wrennall, married again in 1948 - died 01st March 2007, age 83), of 230 Blockhouse Bay Road, Avondale, Auckland, New Zealand. Marie married Fl/Lt. Mervyn Windsor Wrennall NZ/427829 RNZAF (died 11th April 1994, age 76) Victor was the father of one daughter - born on the 07th October 1944.

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F/O.'Pat' Henry Charles Brougham NZ/4216668 survived the war. Member of both the Goldfish and Caterpillar Clubs. Born on the 14th May 1921 in Palmerston North, New Zealand. Post war he was the manager of the State Fire Office at Masterton. Son of Leslie Franklin Brougham (died 16th December 1961, age 71 and Violet Christina Brougham (married in 1920, née Mardon - died 24th February 1970, age 74. Husband of Betty Boyd Brougham - died 11th July 2006, age 84) of Napier, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. Henry passed away on the 17th March 2010, age 88. Cremated. Kelvin Grove Cemetery

L-R Rear row: Frank Thomas Symon, K.W Basch, Robert Anderson Barnett, J.McR Calder, Jack Douglas Dungey, K.W Wright.
Third Row; John Frederick Knight, Keith Leonard Armstrong, Leon Bremner Piper, Henry Earl Wilson, G. George, R.R George, R.L Bayley.
Second Row; C.C Olsen, H.J. Liggins, R.H Wheeler, P. Steele, Gordon Douglas Lewis McDonald, Wilfred George Newfield field, C. Palmer.
Front; T. Cheetham, H.P Crump, D.W Barr, Victor Jack Mortensen, R.S Mabin, P.W.G Millton, William Douglas Smith (Courtesy Air Museum of New Zealand)

L-R: Rear; K.D Ballach, Henry Charles Brougham 4216668, R.N Carter, Floyd John Cousins 4215181, R.W Craven, John Leonard Doggett 432247, V.C Duckmanton, I.F.W Eggington, A.J Ewert.
Centre; I.G Field, K.G Gibson, R.H Granger, W.G Hackshaw, Leslie Cecil Jeffs 432209, R.W King, N.W McCready, I.J Munro, L.W Murray, L.S Pitcher.
Front; J.D Probert, John Russell Rice 4215101, H.A Sime, T.C Simpson, F.M Thomson, William James Thomson 413688, Ivan Warwick Tyerman 4211037, J.J Walls, J.H Will, Noel Herbert Wood 437361. (Courtesy Air Museum of New Zealand)

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, New Zealand Cenotaph, Weekly News of New Zealand, Air Museum of New Zealand, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland, NZDF-SERIALS.

Other sources as quoted below:

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