Arthur Freeman Dowers, Jr.
Staff Sergeant Arthur F. Dowers, Jr., was a Marine pilot with VMJ-253.
He was killed in a non-combat crash near Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 13 November 1942.
Branch
Marine Corps Regular
Service Number 277873
Current Status
Remains Not Recovered
Pursuit Category
The DPAA has not publicized this information.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
April 9, 1921
at Sioux Falls, MN
Parents
Anderson Freeman Dowers
Jessie Della (Streeter) Dowers
Education
Winona High School
Winona Teachers’ College
Occupation & Employer
Professional Marine
Service Life
Entered Service
November 25, 1939
at Minneapolis, MN
Home Of Record
Winona, MN
Next Of Kin
Wife, Mrs. Shirley Lucille (MacFarland) Dowers
Military Specialty
Pilot
Primary Unit
VMJ-253
Campaigns Served
Solomon Islands / Guadalcanal
Individual Decorations
Purple Heart
Recommended for Distinguished Flying Cross, unknown if awarded
Additional Service Details
Taught navigation and flying at MCAS San Diego
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
Staff Sergeant Arthur Dowers was a pilot assigned to VMJ-253, a Marine transport squadron operating in the Solomon Islands. His squadron made frequent flights between Espiritu Santo and Guadalcanal, delivering much-needed supplies and evacuating wounded men. By mid-November 1942, VMJ-253 had transported more than a thousand patients from the battlefield to rear-area hospitals.
On 13 November 1942, Dowers was flying as copilot for 2Lt. Joseph N. Abel on a routine cargo flight to Henderson Field. Weather conditions deteriorated as they approached Guadalcanal; by 1815 hours, a “blinding rain” was lashing the airfield. The plane (R4D-1 #4696) made a vain attempt to land, then opened the throttle to come around for another pass.
As the big plane crossed over the coastline, it was seen to bank sharply – just before a downdraft flipped it completely upside down. The crew had no chance to recover or bail out, and the plane exploded when it hit the water. Due to the weather – and a crash site “adjacent to enemy territory” – no rescue efforts could be made.
Burial Information or Disposition
The entire crew was posted as missing in action on 13 November, and declared dead as of 11 December 1943.
No remains were recovered from the crash, although other pilots noticed “on a clear day the wrecked plane can be seen on the bottom of the bay, the water at that point being a depth of 40 feet or less.”
Next Of Kin Address
Address of wife, Mrs. Shirley Dowers.
Location Of Loss
Approximate area of the crash site off Guadalcanal’s northern coast.
