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| USAAF 5th AF 312th BG 389th BS Former Assignments 417th BG   312th BG July 14, 1944 |
Pilot 1st Lt. Doyle J. Dean, O-737018 (MIA / KIA / BR) MI Gunner SSgt William P. Thibadeau, 36228776 (MIA / KIA) WI Crashed July 14, 1944 MACR 16212 Aircraft History Built by Douglas Aircraft Company. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as A-20G-30-DO Havoc serial number 43-9624. Disassembled and shipped overseas to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) and reassembled. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force, 417th Bombardment Group. On March 20, 1944 assigned to the 312th Bombardment Group (312th BG), 389th Bombardment Squadron (389th BS). No known nose art or nickname. Tail letter D. Assigned to pilot 1st Lt. Doyle J. Dean with crew chief Butler. On July 13, 1944 took off from Hollanida Airfield at 3pm on flight to Mokmer Drome on Biak to stage for a combat mission the next day. When lost, engine and weapon serial numbers were not listed in Missing Air Crew Report 16212 (MACR 16212). Mission History On July 14, 1944 at 9:30am took off from Mokmer Drome on Biak piloted by 1st Lt. Doyle J. Dean on a low level strike against the oil refineries at Boela on Ceram Island (Seram). Over the target, hit by anti-aircraft fire that caused it to burst into flames and crash near a gun battery. Afterwards, another A-20 in the formation photographed the burning wreckage. When this aircraft failed to return it was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA). Wreckage This A-20 crashed near a gun battery. After the crash, the remains of one of the crew were buried by the Japanese and marked with a cross inscribed "Unknown soldier died July 1944". Recovery of Remains On August 19, 1946 a RAAF Searcher Team led by Ft Lt Belcher visited the crash site and exhumed the grave and transported the remains to Ambon. Afterwards, they were identified as American and turned over to American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) and later identified as pilot Dean and transported to Hawaii for permanent burial. Memorials Both crew were officially declared dead the day of the mission. Dean were recovered and are buried at Honolulu Cemetery (Punchbowl). Dean at Plot Q Row 1 Grave 8. Thibadeau remains listed as Missing In Action (MIA). He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. He also has a memorial marker at Riverside Cemetery in Oshkosh, WI at plot St. Peter Section, Block 1. References Edgar Hambleton recalls: "My wingman was lost to ground fire, Lt. Doyle J. Dean." Missing Air Crew Report 16212 (MACR 16212) was created retroactively or postwar Missing Air Crew Report 11060 (MACR 11060) pages 14-17 details the remains recovery for this aircraft Page 14: Australian War Graves Unit Ambon Paren For Flight Officer Lt. Belcher RAAF Searcher Officer Paren August 30, 1946 Page 16: "[August 19, 1946] Next we went to the site of the crashed plane below the battery, this was a crashed American Douglas A20, the plane was identified as such by the star on the wing and the number plates (enclosed). A grave about 20 meters from the wreckage was marked with a cross inscribed 'Unknown soldier died July 1944'. This grave and the remains of one body only was recovered, th dental state was good and if the dental charts of the crew of this A-20 can be obtained from the American Personnel Research Section, identity may be established. A thorough search was made of the ground near the wreckage but no other grave was located." American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William P. Thibadeau FindAGrave - 1Lt Doyle J Dean (grave photo) FindAGrave - SSgt William P Thibadeau, Jr (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - William Thibadeau (memorial marker photo) Rampage of the Roarin' 20's (2009) pages 151, 349, 365 Thanks to Edgar A. Hambleton for additional information 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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 A-20  MIA 1 Missing |
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