Aircraft History
Built by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation (LAC) in Burbank. Delivered to the U. S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-38H Lightning serial number unknown. Disassembled and shipped across the Pacific and reassembled.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 5th Air Force, 8th Fighter Group, 36th Fighter Squadron. No known nickname or nose art.

Mission History
On March 19, 1944 took off from Finschafen Airfield (Dreger) piloted 2nd Lt. Irwin Weiss on a mission over Wewak. Over the target, the right engine caught fire causing this P-38 to dive into the sea 15 miles north of Kairuru Island. When this aircraft failed to return it was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA).

Memorials
Weiss was officially declared dead the day of the mission. He is memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery.

References
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Irwin Weiss
FindAGrave - 2Lt Irwin Weiss (tablets of the missing)
The Jewish Floridian August 18, 1944 page 7
"Lt. Irwin Weiss, 22, of Far Rockaway, N. Y. a USAAF fighter pilot in service a year and a half, was killed in action at Wewak, New Guinea."

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Last Updated
June 4, 2019