|  |
|
| |
|
| Missing In Action (MIA) | Prisoners Of War (POW) | Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) |
| Chronology | Locations | Aircraft | Ships | Submit Info | How You Can Help | Donate |
|
| USAAF 5th AF 8th FG 80th FS |
Pilot Major Robert G. Hochuli, O-388129 C.O. 80th FS (MIA / KIA) Portland, OR Crashed August 12, 1945 MACR 14882 Aircraft History Built by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation (LAC) in Burbank. Constructors Number 422-8146. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-38L-5-LO Lightning serial number 44-27142 Disassembled and shipped overseas to Australia and reassembled. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 8th Fighter Group (8th FG), 80th Fighter Squadron (80th FS) "Headhunters". No known nickname or nose art. When lost, engines V-1710 serial numbers A-065675 (113) and A-065464 (111). Armed with four .50 caliber machine guns: Colt serial number 11826, Colt serial number 5840, Frigidaire serial number 94732, Frigidaire serial number 404929 plus 20mm cannon Bendix Arms Corp serial number 121871. Mission History On August 12, 1945 in the morning took off from Ie Shima Airfield piloted by Major Robert G. Hochuli armed with bombs leading Flapjack Carrot Red flight on a mission to bomb and strafe targets at Kadogawa and Mimitsu on eastern Kyushu in Japan. The weather was very hazy with approximately one mile of visibility at 3,000'. In flight elements, skip bombed Kadogawa then made a second run for a wingman to release a hung up bomb then rejoined formation at 4,000'. Afterwards, the formation flew down the coast in the vicinity of Mimitsu. At approximately 9:20am, Flapjack Carrot Red flight made a strafing runs in four ship elements while the other elements flew above as cover. While pulling up over the sea, this P-38 was hit in the left engine and asked other planes to inspect the damage. Other P-38s in the formation saw white smoke then fire as parts of the engine began to fall off. Asking what he should do, several responded over the radio advising him to bail out but no parachute was observed. Hochuli reported smoke in cockpit and appeared to roll over as the cockpit canopy was jettisoned as the fire spread to the outer wing then entered a downward spiral and was last seen approximately two miles off Mimitsu diving towards the sea and burst into flames on impact. When this plane failed to return it was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA). Search Immediately after the crash, the formation circled the crash site at about 2,000'. One P-38 pilot appeared to see an object similar to dye-maker about 50 yards away but could see no sign of the pilot. The formation remained until low on fuel with two P-38s remaining longer. The formation made contact with Playmate 46 from 5th Air-Sea Rescue Squadron, but it was unable to immediately respond without fighter cover. On August 13, 1945 at 9:55am four P-38s led by Captain William T. Coleman, Jr. took off to fly another search over the area between Mimitsu and Hososhima searching as thoroughly as possible an area approximately a half mile off shore to five miles at sea, without results. Memorials Hochuli was officially declared dead the day of the mission. He earned the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Clusters; Distinguished Flying Cross; Purple Heart, posthumously. Hochuli is memorialized at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) on the courts of the missing. He also has a memorial marker at Rose City Cemetery in Portland, OR in section G on his parents grave. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Robert G. Hochuli USAF Serial Number Search Results - P-38L Lightning 44-27142 Missing Air Crew Report 14882 (MACR 14882) created August 12, 1945 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Robert Gunning Hochuli FindAGrave - Maj Robert Gunning Hochuli (tablets of the missing photo) FindAGrave - Maj Robert Gunning Hochuli (memorial marker photo) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated July 6, 2025
|
 P-38  MIA 1 Missing |
| Discussion Forum | Daily Updates | Reviews | Museums | Interviews & Oral Histories |
|
