Background
Thomas C. Domville was born in 1915 in Michigan. He graduated high school, attended college for two years and was employed as an office clerk and lived in Oak Park, Illinois. On November 23, 1940 he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC) as an aviation cadet with serial number 16003315. He attended flight school and earned his wings and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant with serial number O-420581. On June 20, 1941 he became a member of the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF).
Wartime History
At the start of the Pacific War, he was assigned to the 22nd Bombardment Group (22nd BG), 2nd Bombardment Squadron (2nd BS) as a co-pilot flying B-26 Marauders and in early 1942 sent to Hickam Field on Oahu then overseas to Australia.
Mission History
On May 10, 1942 took off from 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby as co-pilot aboard B-26 Maruader 40-1402 on a solo reconnaissance and strike mission the Japanese seaplane base in Deboyne
Lagoon in the Deboyne Islands then fly southwest to land at Garbutt Field at Townsville. Over the target at low level, this B-26 was strafing enemy sea planes and was reportedly shot down by machine gun fire and crashed into the sea, possibly off Panapompom Island. When this bomber failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA).
Memorials
Domville earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. He was officially declared dead on December 4, 1945. Domville is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing.
Patti Domville Hall (niece Domville deceased 2010)
Tom Hall (great-nephew of Domville)
During the middle 1980s,
Patti Domville Hall and Tom Hall took a trip to Deboyne
Lagoon to search for this aircraft.
References
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Thomas C. Domville
NARA World War II Prisoners of War Data File does not list any member of the crew as official prisoners of the Japanese although some sources raise raise the possibility of capture.
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Thomas C. Domville
FindAGrave - 1Lt Thomas C Domville (tablets of the missing)
Revenge of the Red Raiders (2006) pages 49, 88-90, 472, 490, 599
Thanks to Tom Hall for additional information
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