Wartime History
Took off from Dobodura Airfield on a mission to escort B-25 over Wewak. Jumped by enemy fighters, this P-38 sustained damaged to one engine. Donaldson feathered the damaged engine and turned for base. His right engine burst into flames, nosed over and crashed into a swamp roughly 35 miles south of Wewak. The pilot has never been found.

Wreckage
Remained 'in situ' until 2003.

This crash site was visited during the recovery of P-38H 42-66534 by Classic Jets Museum / HARS on June 14, 2003. This wreckage was salvaged by Robert Jarrett to Australia and traded to Precision Aerospace.

Memorials
Declared dead the day of the mission, Donaldson is memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery.

References
"Lighting On The Sepik Plains" by Robert Jarrett & Margaret Jarrett, Classic Wings Issue 43, June 2004 pages 36-37

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Last Updated
October 5, 2009

P-38

MIA

3.59
143.30