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| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
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| USAAF 5th AF 417th BG 674th BS |
Pilot 2nd Lt. James W. Wisdom, O-806192 (MIA / KIA) KS Gunner SSgt Charles S. Littlefield, 11110853 (MIA / KIA) Pawtucket, RI Gunner Sgt Andrew Richmond, 32473957 (MIA / KIA) NY Passenger Sgt James M. Fitzwater, 17166538 (MIA / KIA) KS MIA April 10, 1944 at 9:20am MACR 16338 Aircraft History Built by Douglas Aircraft Company. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as A-20G-25-DO Havoc serial number 43-9410. Disassembled and shipped overseas to Australia and reassembled. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force, 417th Bombardment Group "Sky Lancers" (417th BG), 674th Bombardment Squadron. No known nickname or nose art. When lost, engines R-2600-23 serial numbers 43-103706 and 43-103722. Mission History On April 10, 1944 took off from Horanda Airfield near Dobodura piloted by 2nd Lt. James W. Wisdom on a training mission to practice bombing the Ayatosan Maru (The Gona Wreck). After dropping their bombs, one of the practice bombs hit the front part of the ship's deck and bounced up and hit the bottom of the right engine, causing it to catch fire. Damaged, the A-20 pulled up to roughly 300' then roll over onto its back and crashed into the sea nose first, upside down at roughly 9:20am. When this aircraft failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Search After the crash, two A-20s circled the area searching for this aircraft. Afterwards, a Stinson L-5 Sentinel was dispatched to the area plus a landing barge and two PT Boats. Scattered bits of wreckage were found. Memorials The entire crew were declared dead the day of the mission. All are are memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery. Wisdom also has a memorial marker at Fairview Cemetery in Coffeyville, KS at plot E grave 32. Relatives Richmond G. Littlefield (relative of Littlefield) "Our family was from Pawtucket, Rhode Island. I had an older sister Elizabeth (Halden), then was my brother Charles. I was the youngest. Before the war, he was working at a machine shop. He kept to himself was artistic and wanted to be a cartoonist and would play the piano after work. Charles volunteered for the U.S. Army Air Corps because he felt he would be drafted and did training in Colorado. First, he did anti-submarine patrols off the east coast of the United States before being sent to the Pacific. My father, Alden Littlefield got a telegraph saying he went missing. At that time, I was sixteen years old. Later, my father asked the government for a grave for Charles but they said no in 1947." References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - James W. Wisdom NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Charles S. Littlefield NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Andrew Richmond USAF Serial Number Search Results - A-20G-25-DO Havoc 43-9410 Missing Air Crew Report 16338 (MACR 16338) created retroactively circa 1945-1946 PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - A-20G 43-9410 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - James W. Wisdom American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Charles S. Littlefield American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Andrew Richmond American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - James M. Fitzwater FindAGrave - 2Lt James W Wisdom (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - James Warren Wisdom (grave photo) FindAGrave - SSgt Charles S Littlefield (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - SSgt Andrew Richmond (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Sgt James M Fitzwater (tablets of the missing) Might of Right: "Old Enemies - New Allies - New Enemies" by Ned Buxton December 15, 2007 Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated
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 A-20  MIA 4 Missing |
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