Elwyn Harold Seright
Second Lieutenant Elwyn H. Seright was a Marine fighter pilot with VMF-441.
He was reported missing during a non-combat flight near Tutulia, Samoa, on 12 January 1944.
Branch
Marine Corps Reserve
Service Number O-25555
Current Status
Remains Not Recovered
Pursuit Category
The DPAA has not publicized this information.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
September 17, 1921
at Burkburnett, TX
Parents
Jesse Edgar Seright (d. 1927)
Elizabeth “Lizzie” (Simmons) Seright
Education
Masonic Home & School of Texas
Occupation & Employer
Clerk
Gulf Oil Company
Service Life
Entered Service
June 1942 (enlisted)
June 23, 1943 (officer)
Home Of Record
900 South Lake Street
Fort Worth, TX
Next Of Kin
Mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Seright
Military Specialty
Pilot
Primary Unit
VMF-441
Campaigns Served
—
Individual Decorations
—
Additional Service Details
—
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
Elwyn Seright earned his pilot’s wings at NATC Corpus Christi in the summer of 1943. After several months of advanced aviation training, he was assigned duty with VMF-441, a Marine fighter squadron flying in the central Pacific. Seright arrived at Tutuila, American Samoa, in early December 1943; a few days later, the seasoned “Blackjack” pilots returned from Nanumea. In addition to training new pilots, VMF-441 traded in their venerable F4F Wildcat fighters for the newer, more powerful Corsair models. Familiarization and training flights became routine.
On 12 January 1944, while on a routine flight south of Samoa, Lieutenant Seright became separated from his squadron and failed to return to base. It was presumed that he ran out of fuel and had to make a landing at sea. Search flights scoured the area for two days, but were unable to find any trace of Seright or his Corsair (FG-1 #13112). He was posted missing, and ultimately declared dead on 13 January 1945.
Elwyn Seright was posthumously promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant.
Burial Information or Disposition
None; remains not recovered.
Next Of Kin Address
Address of mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Seright.
Location Of Loss
Seright disappeared “south of Tutuila.” The location of the crash is not known.
