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| USAAF 5th AF 312th BG 389th BS |
Aircraft History Built by Douglas Aircraft Company. Constructors Number 21122. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as A-20G-40-DO Havoc serial number 43-21475. Disassembled and shipped overseas to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). Wartime History Assigned to the 312th Bombardment Group (312th BG) "Roarin' 20s", 389th Bombardment Squadron (389th BS) at Gusap Airfield. Assigned to pilot 1st Lt. Leonard W. Happ with crew chief SSgt Thomas Dobrowski. Nicknamed "Little Joe" with the name painted in white in a cursive style on both sides of the nose. The front of th nose cone had the skull and cross bones motif. On the left side of the nose was a scoreboard with bomb markings indicating missions flown. Tail letter T was painted in white on both sides of the tail. On April 16, 1944 took off from Gusap Airfield piloted by 1st Lt. Leonard W. Happ with gunner Sgt Nathan B. Adler on a strike mission against Hollandia. Returning, the formation experienced a severe weather front including severe thunderstorms and clouds. This aircraft managed to spot a hole in the clouds revealing the Ramu Valley and was able to land safely at Gusap Airfield but ran out of fuel on the runway. During June 1944 operated from Hollandia. During November 1944 operated from Tanauan Airfield on Leyte. On January 7, 1945 took off from Tanauan Airfield piloted by 2nd Lt. Thomas H. Jones on a low level strike against Clark Field on Luzon. Inbound to the target, the formation flew near the U.S. Navy invasion fleet off Mindoro. In late January 1945 operated from McGuire Airfield (San Jose) on Mindoro. During February 1945 operated from Mangaldan Airfield (Honey) on Luzon. In April 1945 operated from Floridablanca Airfield on Luzon. In August 1945 operated from Yontan Airfield on Okinawa until the end of the Pacific War. Fate On September 30, 1945 this A-20 condemned as obsolete and scrapped. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Leonard W. Happ NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Thomas Dobrowski USAF Serial Number Search Results - A-20G-40-DO Havoc 43-21475 Rampage of the Roarin' 20s pages 98-100 (April 16, 1944), 99 (photo), 218-220 (January 7, 1945), 219 (photo), 366 (389th BS 43-21475), 370, 371 (photo), 409 (index Little Joe) A-20G 43-22200 displayed at the USAF Museum is painted in the markings of "Little Joe". Contribute
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