1st Lt. Thomas E. Malone
U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), 421st Night Fighter Squadron (421st NFS)

Background
Thomas Earl Malone was born on November 22, 1917 to parents Orb Malone and Lalah Hill Malone in Marshall County, Kentucky. Nicknamed "Tom". He completed high school and worked for Detroit Edison Company as an electrical worker. In 1940, he resided at 14870 Grenlawn in Detroit, Michigan. On October 16, 1940 he registered for the U.S. draft in Detroit, Michigan.

Wartime History
On April 16, 1942 enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as an aviation cadet with serial number 16082326. He attended flight school, earned his wings and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant. Assigned to 421st Night Fighter Squadron (421st NFS) and sent overseas to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). On January 4, 1944 arrives with the squadron and disembarks at Milne Bay in New Guinea then moves with the squadron to Nadzab Airfield.

On March 23, 1944 in the morning took off from Nadzab Airfield piloting P-38J "Marge" 42-103993 on a weather reconnaissance mission and returned safely.

On March 24, 1944 took off from Nadzab Airfield piloting P-38J "Marge" 42-103993 with P-38 pilot Lt. Rolland Forrester on a weather reconnaissance mission bound for Wewak. After take off, the pair encountered bad weather with a heavy overcast and turbulence beyond 30,000'. Roughly 50 minutes into the flight, Malone experienced problems with the left engine cooler shutters and radio reception was poor. Due to the bad weather, the P-38s lost contact with each other but heard a radio message from base stating the mission was canceled. Shortly afterwards, Malone's radio failed, one engine stopped and the propeller failed to feather followed by an electrical failure. This P-38 went into a spin and descended to an altitude of 11,000' before Malone bailed out. When his parachute opened, he was nearly knocked unconscious and lost his pistol. Descending in the overcast, he experienced snow inside the clouds before landing unhurt on the eastern side of a river. Using his life raft, Malone attempted to float downriver but the current was too strong and the bottom was rocky. Instead, he walked along the bank for roughly nine hours before encountering a U.S. Army solider from the 32nd Infantry Division (32nd ID) who nearly shot him. Realizing he was an American pilot, he was given food and cigarettes and a radio message was sent reporting him as safe. Overnight, he spent with the soldiers in a foxhole.

On March 25, 1944 in the morning Malone was embarked aboard a barge that transported him downriver bound for Saidor where he spent the rest of the day and night waiting at their regimental headquarters. On March 26, 1944 in the morning he boarded another barge and was taken to Saidor Airfield then flown to Nadzab Airfield and returned to duty. Afterwards, Captain Richard I. Bong was upset about the loss of his P-38 but acknowledged it had some mechanical issues.

Later, promoted to the rank of 1st Lieutenant and became a P-61 Black Widow night fighter pilot and often flew with radar operator Lt. Tom Glynn.

On June 28, 1944 moves with the squadron to Owi Airfield on Owi Island off western New Guinea.

On July 5, 1944 took off from Owi Airfield piloting P-61A Black Widow 42-5494 on a mission. Returning, the nose landing gear did not extend and force landed causing the propellers to break off with one of the blades impacting the fuselage only 6" behind the cockpit and barely missing the crew who were unhurt.

On October 25, 1944 moves to Tacloban Airfield on Leyte in the Philippines and continues to operated the P-38 and P-61 as part of the 86th Fighter Wing (86th FW).

On November 18, 1944 took off piloting a P-61 with P-61 pilot Lt. Craft as one of two on a mission to escort U.S. Navy (USN) PT Boats returning from a patrol west of La Paz near San Agustin. Flying at 7,000' they spotted a flight of four P-38s and four Ki-43 Oscars that engaged the P-38s and observed one hit and going down then intercepted the P-61s and Malone was forced to take evasive action. Unable to make the same maneuver, Craft found himself with three Oscars on his tail and claimed one as shot down, but it was only credited a probable.

On February 8, 1945 moves with the squadron to San Marcelino Airfield on Luzon and was a tent mate with Carl Bjorum. During March 1945 one night, a Filipino "house boy" working for the squadron told him about a Japanese straggler in the vicinity and Malone searched for and eliminated the intruder with his Thompson submachine gun.

On Apri 27, 1945 moves with the squadron to Clark Field. On July 24, 1945 moves with the squadron to Ie Shima Airfield off Okinawa until the end of the Pacific War. Afterwards, Malone returned home to the United States and was honorably discharged.

Postwar
Malone returned to work for Detroit Edison Electric. He was a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Sixth District Vice President He was a member of Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church and Samson Masonic Lodge in Theodosia, MO.

Memorials
Malone passed away July 27, 2004 at age 86. He is buried at Marshall County Memory Gardens Cemetery in Benton, KY.

Relatives
Orb Titus "O.T." Malone (brother passed away December 23, 2004)
Mildred Malone Nichols (sister passed away March 2, 2022)
Diane Aucutt (daughter of Benton, KY)
Carol Malone (daughter of Springfield, MO)
Jeff Malone (son Naperville, IL)

References
NARA U.S. Draft Registration Card - Thomas E. Malone
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Thomas E. Malone
The 421st Night Fighter Squadron in World War II (2001) by Jeff Kolln pages acknowledgments (Malone), 5 (Malone photo caption), 6 (Squadron photo, Malone), 28 (photos), 29 (photo), 30-31, 35, 36, 40, 42, 43, 49, 55, 65 (photo), 69-70 (November 18, 1944), 85 (San Marcelino Japanese dispatched by Malone), 179 (Appendix A 421st NFS members: Malone, Thomas E.), 199 (P-61 Nickname "Nocturnal Nuisance" Lt. Malone), 200 (Appendix E Chronology: March 24, 1944)
The Paducah Sun "Obituary - Thomas Malone" July 29 2004 page 10
FindAGrave - Thomas Earl Malone (Marshall County Tribune obituary, grave photos)
Thanks to Jeff Kolln and Edward Rogers for additional research and analysis

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