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| USAAF 5th AF 8th FG 36th FS |
Pilot 2nd Lt. Wayne Donker, O-756516 (survived) Washington County, OR Crashed December 27, 1944 MACR 14461 Aircraft History Built by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation (LAC) in Burbank. Constructors Number 422-6247. At the factory, completed with an unpainted aluminum finish. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-38L-5-LO Lightning serial number 44-25243. Disassembled and shipped overseas to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) and reassembled. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 8th Fighter Group (8th FG), 36th Fighter Squadron (36th FS) "The Flying Fiends". No known nickname or nose art. When lost, engines V-1710-113 serial number A-059032 and V-1710-111 serial number A-058389. Armed with four .50 caliber machine guns makers Brown-Lipe-Chapin serial number 1760243, Frigidaire serial number 1499610, Frigidaire serial number 1499902 and Brown-Lipe-Chapin serial number 1760133 plus 20mm cannon maker International Harvester serial number 119630. On December 26, 1944 at 6:30pm took off from Hill Field on Mindoro piloted by 2nd Lt. Wayne Donker to attack the Japanese warships in the Mindoro Strait west of Mindoro. The weather was rain squalls from 1,500' to solid overcast at 5,000'. Due to the darkness and clouds, the formation nearly passed over the warships before they realized the enemy was below them and turned sharply to avoid expected anti-aircraft fire, but none was observed initially. For about 45 minutes, the P-38s made strafing runs on three warships and experienced anti-aircraft fire including tracers then withdrew and returned to land at Hill Field on Mindoro. Mission History On December 26, 1944 at 11:30pm took off from Hill Field on Mindoro piloted by 2nd Lt. Wayne Donker on a flight bound for Leyte. This P-38 was last contacted by radio in the vicinity of Tacloban. On December 27, 1944 at 1:30am lost in poor weather Donker bailed out. When this plane failed to arrive it was reported as Missing In Action (MIA). In fact, Donker bailed out and landed unhurt and later returned to duty. Also lost is P-38L "Hell on the Double" 44-25241 pilot 2nd Francis S. Ford (MIA). 1st Lt Griswold Steele statement of witness in Missing Air Crew Report 14461 (MACR 14461) page 4: "On December 26, 1944 I took off from Hill Field at approximately 2330 with Capt. Giroux and Lt. Maucher. We were unable to get together, so proceeded individually to Austere [control tower code name]. At 2400 approximately, I heard Lt. Donker who had Lt. Ford with him, on the radio. I called him and asked him about the weather ahead. It was closed in at Austere, but he advised me to try and go under it. I believe that I was the only plane to follow the northern coast of Leyte into Tacloban. At 0100 I think that I heard [t donker on the radio, but due to so much conversation I was not sure. I believe he was over Leyte or very near it." 2nd Lt. Lawrence E. Hyde statement of witness in Missing Air Crew Report 14461 (MACR 14461) page 5: "The morning of the 27th of December I want [sic went] to Cheeky Tower to see if they had had contact with either Lt. Donker or Lt. Ford. They advised me that sometime after midnight approximately 0100 or 0130 a P-38 pilot called and asked if it was friendly on the west coast of Leyte to make a crash landing. The tower called back and told him it was friendly south of Ormoc, but did not get any answer and could not contact him any more. I did not tald [sic talk] to the operator who had talked to this P-38 pilot." References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Wayne Donker USAF Serial Number Search Results - P-38L-5-LO Lightning 44-25243 "25243 (8th FG) lost Dec 27, 1944. MACR 14461" Missing Air Crew Report 14461 (MACR 14461) for 2nd Lt. Wayne Donker created December 28, 1945 Missing Air Crew Report 14458 (MACR 14458) for 2nd Francis S. Ford created April 15, 1945 Attack & Conquer (1995) by John Stanaway pages 226-227 (December 26, 1944 mission) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated July 10, 2025
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 P-38  Map Dec 27, 1944 |
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