John Thomas Felts, Jr.
Second Lieutenant John T. Felts, Jr. was a navigator with VMJ-153.
He died when his airplane crashed at sea near Ouvéa, Loyalty Islands, on 27 December 1943.
Branch
Marine Corps Reserve
Service Number O-26187
Current Status
Remains not recovered.
Pursuit Category
The DPAA has not publicized this information.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
October 22, 1923
at Clarksville, TX
Parents
John Thomas Felts, Sr.
Winifred Marian (Clarke) Felts
Education
Clarksville High School
University of Texas, Austin
Occupation & Employer
College student
Service Life
Entered Service
June 23, 1943 (commission)
Home Of Record
Clarksville, TX
Next Of Kin
Father, Mr. John Felts Sr.
Military Specialty
Navigator
Primary Unit
VMJ-153
Campaigns Served
—
Individual Decorations
—
Additional Service Details
Felts was on duty with South Pacific Combat Air Transport Command (SCAT).
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
Second Lieutenant John Felts was a Marine Corps navigator transport pilot assigned to Utility Squadron (VMJ) 153.
On 27 December 1943, Felts boarded R4D-5 #12432 for a routine flight: an afternoon ferry hop from Tontouta, New Caledonia, to Espiritu Santo. Four other Marines – the pilots and crew of R4D-5 #12432 – were aboard; the cargo compartment was full of Navy flyers returning to duty from a Christmas holiday in Australia. The transport took off from Tontouta without incident, but never arrived at its destination. Radar operators reported losing track of the flight over the Loyalty Islands.
A three-day search discovered small pieces of wreckage off the southern tip of Ouvéa, and identified parts of the missing R4D-5. Investigators met with a French-speaking islander, who told of seeing the aircraft spin down and crash. A fire in the crew compartment was tentatively blamed for the accident, but no survivors could be found to provide more information.
Burial Information or Disposition
None of the remains were recovered; all aboard were declared dead as of 1424 hours, 27 December 1943.
Next Of Kin Address
Address of father, Mr. John Felts Sr.
Location Of Loss
The R4D-5 crashed near Ouvéa; wreckage was found at the island’s south tip.
Related Profiles
Crew of R4D-5 #12432
Known passengers (all US Navy)
VC-38
• Lieutenant William Rudolf Larson
VB-98
• Lieutenant Commander John Risse Little
• Lieutenant Kenneth Robert Speer
• Lieutenant (j.g.) August George Kafter
• Lieutenant (j.g.) Norman William Mackie
• Lieutenant (j.g.) Glenn Guy Parker
• Lieutenant (j.g.) Donald Everett Winters
VB-98 (continued)
• ARM1c Dirk Berent Boonstra
• ARM1c Earl Brice Fuller
• ARM1c Francis John Storm
• ARM2c William Harold Beltz
• ARM2c William LeRoy Daugherty
• ARM2c John Joseph D’Huyvetters
• ARM2c Lewis James Fenton
• ARM2c William Edward Luby
• ARM2c Mauritz Henry Nelson
• ARM2c Edwin Lawrence Spangler
• ARM2c Eugene Franklin Sutton
• ARM2c John Frederick Werner