Esther Lina Luna Zuluaga Paterson

photo credit K Pierce

^Pacific Stars & Stripes [TokyoJAPAN]
-Fri 8 Aug 1969 p3 col 1

-----
Her full name was Ester Lina Luna Zuluaga Paterson.

She was the daughter of Rafael Miranda Zuluaga and Maria Luna.

Her siblings were Virginia, Beatrize Concepcion, Rosita, Marietta, Edita, Rafael Jr, Elizabeth Rosario, and Roberto.

She married Sgt Robert Lee Paterson, Jr. Together, they had two children, Robert and Katherine. They are survived also by two grandchildren, Jessica and Emily.
-----

US Navy aircraft C-47 BuNo 17254 disappeared while en route from its home base at El Belloto Naval Air Station near Vina del Mar, Chile, to Buenos Aires, Argentina. One intermediate stop had been made at Los Cerrillos Airport, Santiago, Chile, for international clearance. There were four crew members and twelve passengers on board consisting in part of several dependents of US Military, both Navy and Air Force. The flight was en route for scheduled necessary maintenance at Buenos Aires. It is believed that a crash occurred shortly after last contact at 1716 hours 4 August 1969, killing all occupants. It is suspected that weather conditions were the primary cause of the accident. This aircraft and the remains of its crew have never been found and are still missing.

The crew members and passengers were~

CDR Ralph J Touch, USN, Pilot, from Des Moines IA
LCDR James P Kuhn, USN, Co-Pilot, from Osage IA
ATC Joe Fernandez, USN, Radioman, from El Paso TX
ADRC John T Higgins, USN, Aircraft Mechanic, from Medford MA
LCDR Harold L Mooney, USN, Passenger, from New York NY
SSgt Frank A Homer, USAF, Passenger
TSgt Robert L Paterson, Jr, USAF, Passenger, from PA
SSgt Ronnie J Ball, USAF, Passenger
Shelby Penn Mooney, Wife of LCDR Mooney, Passenger
Elisabeth/Elizabeth Anne Smith, Wife of Capt Floyd E Smith, Passenger
Norma Ann Heist Touch, Wife of CDR Touch, Passenger
Carol Tilton, Wife of CDR Robert L Tilton, Passenger
Claudine Cox Fernandez, Wife of ATC Fernandez, Passenger
Carol Homer, Wife of SSgt Homer, Passenger
Esther Zuluaga Paterson, Wife of TSgt Paterson, Passenger
Norma R Orcutt Ball, Wife of SSgt Ball, Passenger

------
For family support and information sharing, go to--
https://www.facebook.com/groups/C47Missing16Andes/

group email address--
[email protected]


Note this is a Private Group, for family, friends, and serious researchers only


If not a member of Facebook, one can follow the group via email upon request to the manager of this crew's virtual cemetery.

Public FB Community Page-
https://www.facebook.com/C47Missing16Andes