Aircraft History
Built by Douglas. Delivered to the USAAF on October 4, 1944. Assigned to the 417th Bombardment Group, 673rd Bombardment Squadron. Next, assigned to the 312th Bombardment Group, 387th Bombardment Squadron on March 20, 1944 to pilot Smart. Nicknamed by Smart "The Texan" with the Texas flag and shooting stars on the left side of the cockpit, in honor of his home state. Assigned tail letter "S" for Smart's surname, and the diamond marking on the rear fuselage near the tail. Crew chief SSgt Charles S. Bidek, and assistant crew chief Sgt Donald M. Cooper.

Mission History
Took off from Gusap Airfield on a mission against Hollandia. Returning, it became lost in bad weather with other A-20s. Low on fuel, Smart radioed asking permission proceed to Saidor Airfield, a request granted by Col Strauss. Several other A-20s proceed along the coast together and encountered anti-aircraft fire over Ulingan Harbor, but avoided the fire. They were forced to sea level over Astrolabe Bay near Madang to avoid the bad weather.

Next, the group of A-20s spilt, with three including Smart proceeding inland 5 miles to avoid any other enemy fire. At 17:30 Smart radioed again about PBY Catalina rescue and ditching. He was observed to ditch under power off Yalau Plantation south-east of Bogadjim at 1735.

After successfully ditching, both crew were seen in their life raft minutes after ditching. The other A-20s circled and dropped their rafts and waited in the area until the crew waved to them, and radioed their position. Two PT-Boats were observed about 10 miles away, then landed at Saidor Airfield. The next day, the A-20s that had observed the ditching returned to the site on their way to Gusap Airfield and observed the submerged outline of this A-20, but no sign of the crew.

Memorials
Officially declared dead on February 6, 1946. Both crew are memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery.

Wreckage
Discovered in 1982 by Rod Pearce. The aircraft is intact on a sandy bottom in 60' a quarter mile off Nom plantation (formally Yalau Plantation).

Rod Pearce adds:
"I was coming back from Madang to Lae in 1982, looking for a place to anchor. Of all the places, I happened to stop right on the wreck, I could see it on the sounder. The next morning, I dove it, and it was all there. The cockpit hatch was ripped off, but the entire plane was there. When I told people about it, they claimed to have known of a wreck there, but I have never heard of someone who dove it before then.

References
Black Sunday tells the story of this loss.
Rampage of the Roarin' 20's pages 103-104, 303 (profile #6), 212, 348, 357, 379-380

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Last Updated
October 1, 2009

A-20

60'

MIA