Missing Cadet

[C-47B]

On 3 November 1943, at approximately 1820 MWT, a Vultee BT-13A (41-22638) was landed intact and abandoned 25 miles east of an area called Rocky Point in northwest Sonora, Mexico (near the town Punta Penasco). The student pilot, A/C Maurice Herzog (service number 38428453), was declared missing. The Aircraft Accident Classification Committee stated, "At 1400 [MWT] A/C Herzog departed Marana Army Air Field [Marana, Arizona], solo, in a BT-13 airplane for a triangular student training cross country flight. The first two legs of the flight were negotiated by the cadet without incident. On the final lap from Safford, Arizona, to Marana, the pilot apparently became lost, overshot the home field, and landed in a sparsely populated section of northwest Sonora, Mexico. The airplane was not discovered until 14 November 1943. It was not damaged and was flown back to Marana. A search by ground and air has failed to disclose the whereabouts of A/C Herzog. Within approximately 18 miles from the point where the student landed his airplane, there is a revolving air beacon situated at the town of Punta Penesco, Sonora, Mexico, which is clearly visible from the ground where the student landed. It is felt that this would have been the most logical direction in which the student should have started walking, and he would have been able to have reached the town in a matter of a very few hours, as the terrain was a type easily negotiated on foot. In only one general direction would the cadet have failed to reach a highway, railroad, or roadway, and this direction referred to was composed of by far the most difficult terrain from a walking standpoint. [The] Form 1 was missing from the airplane when it was discovered and on the floor was a Mexican 'Tequila' bottle full of water indicating, respectively, that some disposition had been made of the Form 1 [and Form 1A] and that the airplane had been visited by someone who left the water for one purpose or another. To the end that all possibilities shall be investigated, this case has been referred to Army Intelligence and the Federal Bureau of Investigation." Investigators estimated that the airplane had been airborne for about 4 hours and 20 minutes. Weather was reported as "Sky high scattered clouds, wind--north three miles per hour." A/C Maurice Herzog is apparently still missing.

What happened to Cadet Herzog in "Old Mexico" (as the report calls it)? Researchers Chris Baird and Tony Mireles have spent two years attempting to determine Cadet Herzog's final whereabouts. The FBI requires a proof of death document for release of records. Or 100 years from the date of birth. Or a privacy waiver from the person in question (that would be Cadet Herzog himself). No success with the FBI. We have no proof of death or even a date of birth.

Army Intelligence stated that they referred documents 25 years or older to the National Archives (NARA). They did do a Master Name Index Search for us (including what little personal identifying data we had) but came up with nothing. National Archives searched records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, Missing Aircrew Report (MACR) Name Index and located a card for A/C Maurice Herzog. The service number on the card matched A/C Herzog's service number. The only information on the card was the notation "No MACR" (presumably because incident was non-combat?). NARA referred us back to Maxwell Field for the official Form # 14 Aircraft Accident Report, which we already had.

Finally, a letter to the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri, produced the most perplexing reply. They stated that A/C Maurice Herzog's search resulted in an Army personnel record that they could not locate. Their letter states that "the file was removed from its location in October 1988 and has not been returned. The file location did not indicate where the record was sent."

Does anybody know what happened to A/C Maurice Herzog? Was he ever found? The official accident report states that he was assigned to the 755th Basic Flying Training Squadron, Training Group 2, Training Squadron 14, Personnel Class 62, Marana Army Air Field, Marana, Arizona. A/C Maurice Herzog shares his name with a famous alpine climber, complicating internet searches. We did turn up the following information in recent months: Maurice Herzog, 14617 Rochester Street, Monroe, New York; SS # 131-10-1308; DOB 03-10-18; Died May 1986. The year 1918 is about right for a WWII era serviceman, but we have discovered that this is not our man. Our Herzog lived on 1921 Dante Street, New Orleans, LA. His half brother was a Prep Sports writer for the New Orleans Picayune.
Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much for any and all help.

Tony Mireles and Chris Baird