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| USAAF 13th AF 347th FG 339th FS |
Pilot 1st Lt. Wallace L. Dinn, Jr., O-431949 (MIA / KIA) Corpus Christi, TX MIA January 5, 1943 at 4:00pm MACR 593 Aircraft History Built by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation (LAC) in Burbank. Delivered to the U. S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-38G Lightning serial number unknown. Disassembled and shipped overseas to the South Pacific and reassembled. Wartime History Assigned to the 13th Air Force (13th AF), 347th Fighter Group (347th FG), 339th Fighter Squadron (339th FS). No known nose art or nickname. When lost engine and weapon serial numbers not listed in Missing Air Crew Report 593 (MACR 593). Mission History On January 5, 1943 took off from Fighter 2 Airfield on Guadalcanal piloted by 1st Lt. Wallace L. Dinn, Jr. as one of six P-38s led by Major John W. Mitchell flying in two elements of three P-38s each on an escort mission above and behind B-17 Flying Fortresses from the 11th Bombardment Group on a bombing mission against a Japanese cruiser off Buin and Tonolei Harbor on the southern coast of Bougainville and off Shortland Island. Over the target, they are intercepted by what the U. S. side claimed were twenty-five A6M Zeros and float biplanes and claimed three shot down. In fact, the Japanese force were two A6M2-N Rufes from the 802 Kokutai, six A6M Zeros from the 204 Kokutai plus F1M2 Petes from the 11th Seaplane Tender Division. Over Vella Lavella, A6M2-N Rufe piloted by Leading Airman Matsuyama fired on this P-38 hitting the left engine with 20mm cannon fire that caused it to catch fire and caused him to enter a spin and drop out of formation. Last seen by Major John W. Mitchell at 4:00pm. When this aircraft failed to return, it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Also shot down was P-38G piloted by Lt. Hilken (MIA). Memorials Dinn was officially declared dead the day of the mission. He earned the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) and Purple Heart, posthumously. Dinn is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. References Previously, on October 28, 1942 Dinn bailed out of P-39 Airacobra over Santa Isabel Island and landed unhurt and with the help of local people returned to duty. NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Wallace L. Dinn, Jr. 347th Fighter Group Advanced Echelon APO 709 "Preliminary Intelligence Summary of Operations of Army Fighter Planes at Cactus - December 1, 1942 to February 17, 1943" February 21, 1943 (Page 2) "Date: 1/5 Type: P-38 How Lost: Shot down in combat near Vella Lavella Pilot: Lt. Dinn - missing." The Bell Ringer Vol 3, No. 9 "Birdman of the Solomons" August 1943 page 26–29 Missing Air Crew Report 593 (MACR 593) created September 17, 1943 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Wallace L. Dinn Jr. FindAGrave - 1Lt Wallace Leonard Dinn, Jr (tablets of the missing photo) Fortress Against The Sun (2001) by Gene Salecker pages 317-318, 440 (footnote 26 Daily Diary 26th BS Jan 5, 1943) "At 10:00am five 26th BS [B-17s], escorted by a small group of American fighters [P-38s], set off to attack shipping in Tonolei Harbor [one aborted]. The other four B-17s continued on an although they met light anti-aircraft fire, they managed to damage one Japanese transport with their 1,000-lb. bombs. At the same time that the 26th BS planes were hitting Tonolei Harbor, a flight of 42nd BS B-17s struck the airport at Kahili." Operation KE (2012) by Roger & Dennis Letourneau pages 86, 262 [sic], 363 (index Dinn) "The Lightnings flew in two elements of three planes above and behind the bombers. After the Forts made their run on a 'cruiser,' the 11th's Rufes and Petes, in the company of the 204th Zeros, quickly moved in. One Rufe piloted by Leading Airman Matsuyama, pounced on Lt. Ron Hiklen at the outset. A Pete quickly joined in. Before they were driven off by Lt. Betsy Holmes and Lt. Emmett Noris, they had set Hilken's right engine on fire. He was last seen going down toward Vella Lavella. Matsuyama also shot out Lt. Wally Dinn's left engine with 20-mm fire, sending Dinn spinning into the water one final, fatal time." Contribute
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 P-38  MIA 1 Missing |
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