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| USAAF 5th AF 3rd BG 90th BS  3rd BG circa 1944  INS April 1944  Aerothentic 2022 |
Pilot 1st Lt. Harold R. Prince, O-888775 (MIA / KIA) Rochester, NY Gunner TSgt Ashford H. Cardwell, 38329361 (MIA / KIA) Shreveport, LA Engineer TSgt Anthony Zulkus, 11009240 (survived) Worcester County, MA Passenger 2nd Lt. Ambrose J. Finnegan, Jr., O-2036172 5th AF, HQ ADVON (MIA / KIA) Scranton, PA Crashed May 14, 1944 MACR 4847 Aircraft History Built by Douglas Aircraft Company. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as A-20G-20-DO Havoc serial number 42-86768. At the factory, painted with olive drab upper surfaces and gray lower surfaces with U.S. Star and bar insignia on the fuselage and wings. Disassembled and shipped overseas to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) and reassembled. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 3rd Bombardment Group (3rd BG), 90th Bombardment Squadron (90th BS). Nicknamed "Barry's Baby I.N.S." inside a yellow circle outlined in black. The "I.N.S." abbreviated International News Service and Barry referred to Barry Faris, editor-in-chief who toured New Guinea and met the squadron. The nose had the shark mouth motif of the 3rd BG. Tail letter "P" with a white horizontal strip at the top of the tail and rudder. On March 8, 1944 took off from Nadzab Airfield as the lead ship of the second element on a strike mission against Lombrum on Manus Island. During April 1944, photographed parked at Nadzab Airfield with Major Kenneth E. Rosebush, 1st Lt. Harold R. Prince, Lt. Col. John P. "Jock" Henebry and Lee Van Atta, INS war correspondent. On April 5, 1944 took off from Nadzab Airfield piloted by Prokopovitz on a bombing mission against Hollandia. On April 16, 1944 "Black Sunday" took off from Nadzab Airfield pilot unknown on a low level strike mission against Hollandia. Returning, encountered a severe weather front and belly landed at Saidor Airfield. While sliding across the runway, this aircraft struck P-47D "Dirty Old Man". Damaged, ground crews had extricate the pilot from the fuselage. Afterwards, the mission was dubbed "Black Sunday" for the number of aircraft lost. Damaged, this plane was repaired but regulated to non-combat flights. When lost, engines R-2600-23 serial numbers 42-175009 and 42-175164. Armed with .50 caliber machine guns, makers and serial numbers not listed in Missing Air Crew Report 4847 (MACR 4847). Mission History On May 14, 1944 at 5:05pm took off from Momote Airfield on Los Negros Island piloted by 1st Lt. Harold R. Prince on an administrative flight bound for Nadzab Airfield. The crew included gunner TSgt Ashford H. Cardwell and engineer TSgt Anthony Zulkus. Also aboard was passenger 2nd Lt. Ambrose J. Finnegan, Jr. assigned to 5th Air Force, Headquarters Advanced Echelon (ADVON) as a courier. The weather was reported as good on the flight route. Forty minutes into the flight, this A-20 attempted to ditch into the sea. At roughly 30' altitude both engines failed causing the plane to nose over and impact hard. When this aircraft failed to arrive it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Fate of the Crew After the crash, Prince, Cardwell and Finnegan were never seen again. Sole survivor Zulkus was rescued by a barge and taken to Saidor and hospitalized at the 23rd Field Hospital and later returned to duty. Search Afterwards, the search for this aircraft was led by Major Kenneth E. Rosebush. On May 15, 1944 a pair of A-20s from 90th Bombardment Squadron (90th BS) piloted by Captain Dean and Major Kenneth E. Rosebush flew a search mission but failed to locate any trace of the plane or missing crew. Memorials The three missing crew: Prince, Cardwell and Finnegan were officially declared dead the day of the mission. All three are memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Since the flight was deemed to be a non-combat flight, none of the crew earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. Prince earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters. Cardwell Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and Purple Heart for previously being wounded by a bullet in his arm. Cardwell also has a memorial marker at Greenwood Cemetery in Shreveport, LA. The epitaph reads: "T/Sgt Ashford H. Cardwell Mar 30,1920 May 14, 1944 Lost at sea - South Pacific member of U.S. Army Flying Forces [U.S. Air Force]." Finnegan had a memorial mass on July 21, 1944 at the University of Scranton by the student counselor. He is memorialized on his family grave at Saint Catherine's Cemetery in Moscow, PA in section S-4. The epitaph reads: "Lt. Ambrose J. Jr. USAF 1914–1944 Lost in S. W. Pacific Area." Zulkus passed away in August 1963. He has an unknown burial likely in his hometown in the United States. Relatives Steve Carr (Half-nephew of 1st Lt. Harold R. Prince) Ashford H. Cardwell (nephew TSgt Ashford H. Cardwell) George J. Enman (nephew TSgt Anthony Zulkus) Ambrose J. Finnegan (father 2nd Lt. Ambrose J. Finnegan, Jr. died May 27, 1957 at age 73) Geraldine Blewitt Finnegan (mother died June 24, 1949 at age 63) John A. Finnegan (brother Finnegan died March 31, 1973) Joseph R. Biden Jr. (nephew of Finnegan) References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Harold R. Prince NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Ashford H. Cardwell NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Anthony Zulkus NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Ambrose J. Finnegan, Jr. USAF Serial Number Search Results - A-20G-20-DO Havoc 42-86768 Individual Aircraft Record Card (IARC) A-20G 42-86768 Fort Worth Star-Telegram "INS Is in Pacific War With Name on Two Bombers" March 8, 1944 "An advanced U.S. Air Base in the southwest Pacific, March 8 (INS). – International News Sevice entered the Pacific war lock, stock and barrel at the Admiralties Wednesday [March 8, 1944]. The lead plane in the lead element of a new aerial attack was "The Pride of INS," an the lead ship of the second element was "Barry's Baby–INS"–two of the best, sleekest and meanest-looking Havoc bombers you ever saw. Kids out here have read an article in Newsweek Magazine about INS and decided that Barry Faris, editor of the first news outfit that had give Pacific attack bombers the break they deserve, out to be represented – hence “Barry’s Baby.” The Courier "Barry's Baby" June 1, 1944 "Here's a Havoc light bomber, stationed out in New Guinea, and named after Barry Faris, editor-in-chief-of International News Service by its crew. They got to know Faris when he made a tour of the Pacific fronts last year [1943]. The bomber, which has been prominet in the recent Hollandia action, has a sister ship named "The Pride of INS," Lieutenant Harold Prince, of Venice, Cal., second from left, is the pilot of the plane. Shown with hi are, left to right: Major Kenneth E. Rosebush, of Iola, Kan.: Lieutenant Colonel John P. Henebry, of Plainfield, Ill, and Lee Van Atta, youthful INS war correspondent in that area." Missing Air Crew Report 4847 (MACR 4847) created May 17, 1944 Fifth Air Force Statistical Summary May 1944 Bombers page 1 (Page 1) "14 [May 1944] / A-20G / 42-86768 / 3rd Gp 90th Sq. / Plane and crew missing from courrier [sic courier] mission' Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) - Harold R. Prince Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) - Ashford H. Cardwell Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) - Ambrose J. Finnegan, Jr. Diary of Lt. Clifford Taylor, April 16, 1944 "The only report on the 13th was that Dower [A-20G 42-86563] had crash landed at an emergency strip north of Saidor." Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) Service Member Personnel Profile - 1st Lt Harold R. Prince "Based on all information available, DPAA assessed the individual's case to be in the analytical category of Non-recoverable." American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Harold R. Prince FindAGrave - 1Lt Harold R Prince (news, tablets of the missing photo) Democrat and Chronicle "First Lt. H. R. Prince Killed In Action" July 14, 1944 page 15 "First Lt. Harold R. Prince, 23, was killed in action May 14, returning from a personal mission for Gen. MacArthur, according to a letter in the General has written to the officer's parents, Mr. and Mrs. William S. Carr of Santa Monica, Calif., formally of Rochester." NARA U.S. WWII Hospital Admission Card Files - Ashford H. Cardwell "May 24, 1944 injury, non-battle [sic May 14, 1944] length of service: 1 year, 7 months." Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) Service Member Personnel Profile - T Sgt Ashford H. Cardwell "Based on all information available, DPAA assessed the individual's case to be in the analytical category of Non-recoverable." American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Ashford H. Cardwell FindAGrave - TSgt Ashford H Cardwell (tablets of the missing) FindAGrave - Sgt Ashford H Cardwell (obituary, memorial marker photo) News "Promoted S/Sgt Ashford H. Cardwell" 1944 "Since going overseas nine months ago he has been shot down twice and received a bullet wound in his arm. He holds the Purple Heart award. Sergeant Cardwell is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Cardwell, 2904 Judson Street." News "Shreveport Air Gunner In Missing" 1944 News "Air Crash Victim Shreveporter Previously Reported Missing In S. Pacific" 1944 The Shreveport Journal "Sgt. Cardwell Is Missing" May 25, 1944 page 5 The Shreveport Journal "Killed In Crash - T.Sgt Ashford H. Cardwell" June 27, 1944 page 5 Bossier Banner-Progress "Killed and Missing From Bossier and Caddo Nearly 400" January 11, 1945 page 1-4 "T-Sgt Ashford H. Cardwell, Shreveport, killed in plane crash, Pacific." Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) Service Member Personnel Profile - 2d Lt Ambrose J. Finnegan Jr. "Based on all information available, DPAA assessed the individual's case to be in the analytical category of Non-recoverable." American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Ambrose J. Finnegan Jr. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency WWII Report for Pennsylvania (Unaccounted For) - Finnegan, Ambrose J. "not recoverable" [PDF] FindAGrave - 2Lt Ambrose Joseph Finnegan, Jr (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Lieut Ambrose J Finnegan, Jr (memorial marker photo) The Tribune "Pals 17 Years, Three Hope to Fly Together" January 20, 1942 page 3 "Three neighborhood pals, two of them brothers, signed up for service in the Army Air Corps yesterday and tomorrow will leave for Wilkes-Barre for formal induction. Later, they will be sent to Kessler Field, Miss. The brothers are Ambrose Finnegan Jr., 27, and John Finnegan, 21, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Ambrose Finnegan, 2446 North Washington Avenue." The Tribune "2 Local Brothers With MacArthur's Air Force" October 21, 1942 page 3 "Two Scranton boys have gone into action with General Douglas MacArthur's Air Forces for the relief of Guadalcanal. The Tribune "6 Regional Soldiers Reported Casualties" May 24, 1944 "Lt. Ambrose J, Finnegan Jr. Listed Missing Between Admiralty Islands and New Guinea. Six more regional servicemen have been reported as casualties in the present world conflict according to information received by their families from the War Department. The casualties follow: Lt. Ambrose J. Finnegan Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Ambrose J. Finnegan, reported by the adjutant general's department last night as missing in action since May 14, last, in the Pacific area." The Tribune "4 Regional Men Dead; 5 Wounded, 5 Missing" June 26, 1944 page 3 "Learn Lt. Finnegan Lost Life While on Duty in Pacific Area... Lt. Ambrose J. Finnegan Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Ambrose J. Finnegan, reported missing in action since May 14 in the Pacific area is officially reported dead, according to a telegram received by his parents yesterday from the War Department." The Tribune "Gen. MacArthur Sends Sympathy to Father Of Late Lt. Finnegan" July 11, 1944 page 3 "Evidence that the supreme sacrifice paid by by Second Lt. Ambrose J. Finnegan Jr. did not go unnoticed was given in a recent letter received by the Lieutenant's father, Ambrose J. Finnegan Sr., 2446 North Washington Ave. Lieutenant Finnegan was killed in the South Pacific area recently. The letter, written by Gen. Douglas MacArthur from General Headquarters in the Southwest Pacific Area, follows: 'Dear Mr. Finnegan: In th death of your son, Second Lieutenant ambrose J. Finnegan Jr., while in service of his country, you have my profound sympathy. Your consolation may be that he died in the uniform of our beloved country, serving in a crusade from which a better world for all will come. Very faithfully, Douglas MacArthur." The Tribune "Hold Memorial Mass Today for Lt. Finnegan" July 21, 1944 page 9 "A memorial mass in the form of a dialogue mass will be celebrated this morning at the University of Scranton by the student counselor for the repose of the soul of 2nd Lt. Ambrose J. Finnegan Jr., a graduate of St. Thomas High School, class of 1933. Th entire student body will be present and will assist at the dialogue mass." Black Sunday (2000) by Michael Claringbould page 73 (force landing Saidor), 96 (42-86768) Black Sunday (2023) by Michael Claringbould pages 85 (force landing Saidor and collision), 112 (42-86768 Barry’s Baby) Thanks to Edward Rogers and Justin Taylan for additional research and analysis 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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