Joseph Napoleon Abel
Second Lieutenant Joseph N. “Joe” Abel 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 Reserve
Service Number O-9032
Current Status
Remains Not Recovered
Pursuit Category
The DPAA has not publicized this information.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
December 5, 1914
at Seattle, WA
Parents
Harry Alexander Abel, Sr.
Margaret M. (Nolan) Abel
Education
O’Dea High School (1933)
University of Washington (1937)
Occupation & Employer
Abel, Inc. Building Materials
(family business)
Service Life
Entered Service
April 20, 1941 (enlisted)
March 31, 1942 (officer)
Home Of Record
1620 Fairview Ave North
Seattle, WA
Next Of Kin
Father, Mr. Harry Abel
Military Specialty
Pilot
Primary Unit
VMJ-253
Campaigns Served
Solomon Islands / Guadalcanal
Individual Decorations
Purple Heart
Additional Service Details
—
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
Second Lieutenant Joseph N. Abel was a pilot assigned to VMJ-253, a Marine transport squadron operating in the Solomon Islands. His crew made frequent flights between Espiritu Santo and Guadalcanal, delivering much-needed supplies and evacuating wounded men. By mid-November, VMJ-253 had transported more than a thousand patients from the battlefield to rear-area hospitals.
The Abel crew was on a routine cargo flight to Henderson Field on 13 November 1942. 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.”
Memorials
Manila American Cemetery and Memorial
Joseph Abel was posthumously promoted to the rank of captain.
Next Of Kin Address
Address of parents, Henry & Margaret Abel.
Location Of Loss
Approximate area of the crash site off Guadalcanal’s northern coast.
