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| USAAF 5th AF 312th BG 389th BS Former assignments 3rd BG 89th BS |
Pilot Major Selmon W. Wells (rescued) Gunner SSgt Jack W. Bachelder (rescued) Ditched March 13, 1944 at 8:40am MACR none Aircraft History Built by Douglas Aircraft Company. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as A-20G-10-DO Havoc serial number 42-54083. Disassembled and shipped overseas to Australia and reassembled. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 3rd Bombardment Group (3rd BG), 89th Bombardment Squadron (89th BS). No known nickname or nose art. On March 4, 1944 assigned to the 312th Bombardment Group (312th BG), 389th Bombardment Squadron (389th BS). Tail letter unknown. Mission History On March 13, 1944 took off from Gusap Airfield No. 5 piloted by Major Selmon W. Wells as one of nine A-20s led by Major Wells on a low level strike against Alexishafen Airfield No. 1 Strip. At 8:30am, the formation performed a low level strike over the target. This A-20 was hit by anti-aircraft fire that caused both engines to begin smoking. Pilot Wells successfully ditched into the sea roughly two miles east of Sek Island. Both crew survived unhurt, but their life raft failed to inflate automatically, requiring them to partially inflate it by mouth. Rescue A-20G piloted by Strauss circled over the downed crew and radioed the US Navy base at Saidor to perform a rescue. He waited until P-47s arrived and dropped dye markers near the downed crew and orbited until a PBY Catalina landed to rescue them. Afterwards, both crew were delivered to a US Navy hospital ship off Saidor for treatment, then returned to duty. References Rampage of the Roarin' 20's (2009) pages 77-78, 363 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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