Aircraft History
Built by Douglas Aircraft Company. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as A-20G-30-DO Havoc serial number 43-9477. 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 nose art or nickname.

Mission History
On March 19, 1944 took off from Nadzab Airfield piloted by 1st Lt. John Soloc on a low level strike against Japanese shipping off the north coast of New Guiea.

Over the target, this A-20 made a low level attack and released its bombs over a Japanese ship (Fox Tare Baker) and was damaged by a bomb blast or anti-aircraft fire that knocked the right engine from its mount making the aircraft unstable and flight. This A-20 ditched into the sea roughly 20 miles from the target and roughly eighty miles northwest of Wewak. When this aircraft failed to return it was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA).

Fates of the Crew
Both crew survived the ditching unhurt.

Rescue
On March 20, 1944 after seventeen hours at sea both crew were rescued by a PBY Catalina from VP-34.

References
Missing Air Crew Report 419 (MACR 419)
PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - A-20A Havoc 43-9477
89th Bombardment Squadron History frames 2309, 2349 and 2350
Thanks to Edward Rogers for research and analysis

Last Updated
October 2, 2024