Donald Francis O'Sullivan
Captain Donald F. “Donny” O’Sullivan was a Marine fighter pilot with VMF-111.
He was killed in an airplane crash at sea near Tutulia, Samoa, on 12 January 1944.
Branch
Marine Corps Reserve
Service Number O-11926
Current Status
Remains Not Recovered
Pursuit Category
The DPAA has not publicized this information.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
March 7, 1918
at Brooklyn, NY
Parents
Denis John O’Sullivan
Margaret (Minnaugh) O’Sullivan
Education
Brooklyn Preparatory School
College of the Holy Cross
Occupation & Employer
Buchanan Advertising Agency
Service Life
Entered Service
July 9, 1941 (enlisted)
July 21, 1942 (officer)
Home Of Record
309 Marlborough Road
Brooklyn, NY
Next Of Kin
Father, Mr. Denis O’Sullivan
Military Specialty
Pilot
Primary Unit
VMF-111
Campaigns Served
—
Individual Decorations
—
Additional Service Details
—
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
Donald O’Sullivan earned his Marine Corps commission and his pilot’s wings in Jacksonville, Florida. He joined VMF-111 (the “Devil Dogs”) in the summer of 1943, and spent an uneventful first tour in the Ellice Islands, flying defensive patrols until the capture of Tarawa and Makin placed the group out of Japanese range. “Although many scrambles were made during this period (both day and night) none of our pilots was ever able to get close enough to an enemy plane to even fire on it, let alone bring it down” lamented the squadron’s war diary. Donny O’Sullivan, an optimist, framed it differently: “I have no Zeros to my credit this mission, but then no Jap has me as a sticker on his plane either. Well, next time perhaps I’ll be luckier.”
VMF-111 rotated back to Samoa in mid-December 1943 and traded in their venerable Wildcats for the new gull-winged F4U Corsair fighters. They planned to spend a month on familiarization flights before deploying for their next combat tour.
On 12 January 1944, Captain O’Sullivan was scheduled for a routine night training flight. At approximately 2010 hours, his F4U-1 #18065 smashed into the sea just outside of Pago Pago Harbor. The plane was demolished, and O’Sullivan died of injuries received in the crash. A few days later, the “Devil Dogs” departed Samoa for combat in the Marshall Islands.
Burial Information or Disposition
Surprisingly, although he crashed at sea in the darkness, Captain O’Sullivan’s body was evidently located. Marine Corps casualty records and unit muster rolls indicate that he was buried in Plot 65, US Military Cemetery Maupasaga (Mapusaga), on Tutuila. In 1946, the remains were moved to Grave 22, Row F, Plot 7 of the Schofield Barracks Cemetery in Hawaii.
The following year, Margaret O’Sullivan requested to have her son’s body sent home for burial in Calvary Cemetery, Queens. Tragically, this never came to pass. It seems that O’Sullivan’s Schofield Barracks grave contained no actual remains, or at least none were found when the grave was exhumed. The reasons for this discrepancy are unknown – though it is possible that natural decomposition was to blame. (The case of Major Harold J. Jacobs provides an example: this pilot was killed in a crash at sea, and only soft tissue was found at the scene. The remains were buried with honors and moved several times, but by 1948 had decomposed to a point where nothing was left to identify.)
Donny O’Sullivan was declared non-recoverable on 22 September 1948.
Next Of Kin Address
Home address of mother, Mrs. Margaret O’Sullivan.
Denis O’Sullivan maintained an address at the Hotel Brevoort in lower Manhattan, and received mail at his workplace at 250 Park Avenue. This address is sometimes inaccurately listed as Captain O’Sullivan’s place of residence.
Location Of Loss
Approximate location of the crash, outside Pago Pago Harbor.
