On 17 Apr 43, RAAF light transport aircraft DH84 DeHavilland Dragon serial A34-47 went missing during a flight from Mascot Aerodrome Sydney to Forest Hill, NSW. To date, no wreckage of the aircraft or remains of any of the five persons on board has been located. The Manifest detailed Pilot Sgt D. Doyle and his co-Pilot Sgt F. Doyle were to convey the following passengers to Essendon via Forest Hill:

Flying Officer Geoffrey Hugh Lester 409154 of the RAAF
* Lieutenant Cecil Joseph Umstead 013899 USMCR
Lieutenant Horace Albert Teague 014229 of USMCR
UMSTEAD, Cecil J, 2DLT, O-013899, USMC, from Maryland, location Australia, date of loss April 17, 1943 (pm) + UMSTEAD, Cecil J., 2d Lieutenant, USMCR. Wife, Mrs. Cecil J. Umstead, 10 Baltimore St., Kensington, Md (na) + UMSTEAD, Cecil Joseph, 13899, HqCo, Regulating Station, TC, 1stMAC, FMF, SoWestPac area, April 17, 1943, killed in action (mc) + UMSTEAD, Cecil Joseph, First Lieutenant, O-013899, USMC, from Maryland, Manila American Cemetery (bm)
1stLt Cecil Joseph Umstead was declared Missing on 17 Apr 1943.

Cecil Joseph Umstead