Captain Kenneth C. Sparks
U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) P-38 Lightning Pilot & Ace

Background
Kenneth Carl Sparks was born July 12, 1920 in Blackwell, Kay County, Oklahoma. Nicknamed "Ken". On September 27, 1941 he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as an aviation cadet with serial number 18052640. After completing flight training he earned his wings and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant with serial number O-724566. Sent overseas to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA).

Wartime History
Assigned to the 39th Fighter Squadron (39th FS) as a P-38 Lightning pilot flying combat missions in New Guinea.

On December 27, 1942 took off piloting P-38F Lightning 42-12651 as one of four P-38s scrambled led by Captain Thomas J. Lynch with 2nd Lt. Richard I. Bong and 2nd Lt. John H. Mangas.  They were joined by two other four plane flights for a total of twelve P-38s scrambling to intercept a formation of 35 Japanese planes. Over Dobodura Lynch's flight claimed seven shot down, with Sparks claiming two.  The two other P-38 flights claimed another six victories. During the combat, this P-38 sustained damage in the hydraulic system and the jammed guns. Landing at Dobodura No. 4, without hydraulics, the nose gear collapsed causing the plane to nose over and was damaged. This was the first P-38 Lightning aerial combat in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). Afterwards, this aerial battle was reported in the American press.

On December 31, 1942 took off piloting P-38F Lightning 42-12652 as one of twelve P-38s led by Captain Thomas J. Lynch on a mission to escort a formation of A-20 Havocs, B-25 Mitchells and B-26 Marauders on a bombing mission against Lae Airfield. Over Lae, the P-38s engaged eight "Zeros" actually Ki-43-I Oscars from the 11th Hiko Sentai (11th Flying Regiment). During the combat, Sparks fired at a "Zero" (Ki-43-I Oscar) and witnessed it crash. During the combat, Ki-43-I Oscar pilot Hasegawa collided with this P-38, damaging the right and wing tip. In total, the P-38s claimed a total of ten enemy "Zeros" shot down. In fact, only Ki-43-I Oscar pilot Shishimoto was shot down and bailed out before crashing into Huon Gulf.


On January 7, 1943 took off piloting P-38F Lightning 42-12627 on a mission over Lae and claimed his fifth aerial victory and became an "ace". On January 8, 1943 took off piloting P-38F Lightning 42-12640 and claimed two aerial victories.

On January 20, 1943 a U.S. Army Signal Corps photographer at 14 Mile Drome, snaps photographs of fighter pilots including Sparks with P-38G Lightning 42-12715. Afterwards, promoted to the rank of 1st Lieutenant.


On March 4, 1943 during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea took off piloting P-38G Lightning 42-12711 and claimed two aerial victories. Afterwards, Captain Thomas J. Lynch and 1st Lt. Kenneth C. Sparks were two of the leading aces in the 5th Air Force, each with nine aerial victory claims. The pair were mentioned in a U.S. Army Air Force press release titled "Nine Jap Planes Each is Score of Two Fifth Air Force Fliers" released March 30, 1943.


On July 18, 1943 piloting P-38G Lightning 42-12711 claimed a victory over Salamaua-Lae. On July 21, 1943 piloting P-38G Lightning 42-12711 claimed his eleventh and final aerial victory over the Ramu Valley.

Afterwards, Sparks returned to the United States and was promoted to the rank of Captain. During 1944, assigned to the 443rd Base Unit (443rd BU) at Ontario Airfield.

Aerial Victory Claims
Sparks claimed a total of eleven aerial victories between December 27, 1942 to July 21, 1943. On January 7, 1943 he became an "ace" with his fifth aerial victory claim. All of his victory claims were against Japanese fighter aircraft in the air over New Guinea. He claimed a total of 11 victories / 2 probables / 3 damaged.

Victory	Date	Location	Aircraft	Notes on claim
1	12/27/42	Buna	Zero	First aerial victory claim.
2	12/27/42	Buna	Val	Second aerial victory claim.
3	12/31/42	Lae	Zero [sic Ki-43]	Third aerial victory claim.
4	12/31/42	Lae	Zero [sic Ki-43]	Fourth aerial victory claim collision Ki-43-I Oscar pilot Hasegawa survived.
5	01/07/43	Huon Gulf	Ki-43 Oscar	Fifth aerial victory claim became an "ace".
6	01/08/43	Lae	Ki-43 Oscar	Sixth aerial victory claim.
7	01/08/43	Lae	Ki-43 Oscar	Seventh aerial victory claim.
	01/08/43	Lae	Ki-43 Oscar	Claimed as damaged.
	03/03/43	Huon Gulf	A6M Zero	Claimed as damaged.
8	03/04/43	Lae	Zero	Eighth aerial victory claim.
9	03/04/43	Lae	Ki-43 Oscar	Ninth aerial victory claim.
	03/04/43	Lae	Ki-43 Oscar	Claimed as probable.
10	07/18/43	Salamaua	Ki-43 Oscar	Tenth aerial victory claim.
	07/18/43	Salamaua-Lae	Zero [sic Ki-43]	Claimed as probable.
	07/18/43	Salamaua-Lae	Zero [sic Ki-43]	Claimed as damaged.
11	07/21/43	Ramu Valley	Ki-43 Oscar	Eleventh aerial victory claim.

Midair Collision
On September 5, 1944 took off from Ontario Airfield piloting P-38J Lightning 43-28918 and suffered a midair collision with a P-38F Lighting 43-2049 piloted by 1st Lt. Syney A. Story over Muroc Bombing & Gunnery roughly 16 miles east of Muroc Airfield in California with both pilots killed. Afterwards, their remains were recovered.

Memorial
Sparks is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, CA at Eventide, Map 1, Lot 547, Space 1.

Awards
Sparks earned the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) with three oak leaf clusters and Air Medal with oak leaf cluster. On October 15, 1994 inducted into the Oklahoma Aviation and Space Hall of Fame.

References
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Kenneth C. Sparks
Combat (Fighter) Report - 39th Fighter Squadron, Kenneth C. Sparks, December 27, 1942
Combat (Fighter) Report - 39th Fighter Squadron, Kenneth C. Sparks, December 31, 1942
Mission Report - 39th Fighter Squadron, January 7, 1943
Combat Report - 39th Fighter Squadron, Kenneth C. Sparks, January 8, 1943
Combat (Fighter) Report - 39th Fighter Squadron, Kenneth C. Sparks, March 3, 1943
Combat Report - 39th Fighter Squadron, Kenneth C. Sparks, March 4, 1943
Combat Report - 39th Fighter Squadron, Kenneth C. Sparks, July 18, 1943
Combat Report - 39th Fighter Squadron, Kenneth C. Sparks, July 21, 1943
U.S. Army Air Force press release "Nine Jap Planes Each is Score of Two Fifth Air Force Fliers" released March 30, 1943
USAF Historical Study No. 85 USAF Credits For The Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II Alphabetical: Sparks, Kenneth C. page 177 (PDF page 184)
Stars & Bars (1995) pages 33-34 (35th FG, 39th FS), 568 (Sparks)
X-Plane Crashes (2008) page 140 (Appendix A, September 5, 1944 Sparks)
FindAGrave - Kenneth Carl Sparks (photos)

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