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| USAAF 5th AF 8th FG 36th FS  U.S. Army 1943 |
Pilot 1st Lt Francis J. Pitonyak, O-661372 (MIA / KIA, BR) Detroit, MI Crashed October 28, 1943 MACR 1005 Aircraft History Built by Bell in Buffalo, New York. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-39Q-5-BE Airacobra serial number 42-19987. 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 nose art or nickname. This aircraft had a white painted tail and U.S. star and bar markings. When lost, engine: V-1710-85 serial number 42-98074. Armed with .50 caliber machine guns Kelsey Hayes serial number 661702, Savage serial number 507027, Savage serial number 506948, Savage serial number 506752 plus Colt M4 37 mm Automatic Gun serial number 12304. Mission History On October 28, 1943 at 3:10pm took off from 5 Mile Drome (Ward) near Port Moresby piloted by 1st Lt Francis J. Pitonyak on an armed patrol bound for the Nadzab area. The four planes were flying in two plane pairs. The flight leader with wingman P-39Q Airacobra 42-19959 pilot 2nd Lt. William H. Melville. The second flight was led by P-39Q Airacobra pilot 1st Lt John J. Perkins with wingman P-39Q Airacobra 42-20031 pilot 2nd Lt George E. Fenn. During the flight, the formation experienced a violent weather front with 100% overcast with visibility above overcast of twenty miles, and flew along the coast at 20,000' to avoid the weather. At 4:10pm, Perkins spun out of formation and was the last time he saw the other three Airacobras. Perkins was able to recover from the spin at 9,000' roughly 25 miles north of Bulldog in a solid overcast from ground level to 18,000'. When he became lost, the flight had a minimum of two hours flight time. Unable to reach the other planes by radio, Returning alone he landed safely at 5:05pm at 5 Mile Drome (Ward). The other three Airacobras failed to return and were officially listed as Missing In Action: P-39Q Airacobra 42-19959 pilot 2nd Lt. William H. Melville and P-39Q 42-20031 pilot 2nd Lt George E. Fenn (MIA) and this aircraft. Search The next day on October 29, 1943, two P-39s searched for 2.5 hours for the missing aircraft along the coast from Port Moresby to Kermina [sic Kerema) and inland to the mountain range. That same day, four other P-39s patrolled the Bulldog area for the lost planes. On October 30, 1943 an A-24 Dive Bomber searched the mountains beyond Bulldog and the Kokoda Pass area. Also, a PBY Catalina searched for the missing planes along the coast to the Fly River but failed to find anything. On October 31, 1943 an A-24 with two P-39s continued to search, but found nothing. Wreckage In fact, this aircraft crashed north of Uralau near the Lakekamu River two thirds of the way way towards Bulldog. This aircraft landed intact and appears to have pancaked flat into the swampy ground, likely indicating it crashed in a flat spin. The tail section has a portion of the U.S. Army serial number painted in yellow with "987" on the right side and "219" on the left side. During 1983, the crash site was discovered and reported to the PNG War Museum. During 1984, American Jack Taft removed parts from the wreck including the engine cowling and one cockpit door. Later, these parts ended up in the PNG Museum. By 1985, the crash site was identified as P-39Q Airacobra 42-19987. Between 1987–2016, this Airacobra was investigated on at least five occasions by teams from the U.S. Government and coded "PNG #11". The first U.S. Government visit was on June 30, late June or early July 1987, a team from US Army CILHI with Brian Bennett departed from Terapo and visited this crash site. The second U.S. Government visit was on October 13, 1988 when a team from US Army CILHI with Dr. Miller and SFC Wafer departed from Terapo and overnighted at Uralau and walked to the crash site the next day. During their search, no remains or life support evidence was found and the site was recommended to be closed, but "the pilot's status remain listed as non-recoverable until further information becomes available". During 2002, Robert Greinert visited the crash site. The third U.S. Government visit was during November 2012 a team from JPAC investigated the crash site. During late March 2016 Robert Greinert again visited the crash site. The fourth U.S. Government visit was a DPAA team during late March 2016 that investigated the crash site. The fifth U.S. Government visit was a DPAA team during July 2016 that again investigated the crash site and located dental remains and material evidence at the crash site. Recovery of Remains After the recovery of remains in July 2016 included dental remains and material evidence. Laboratory analysis and circumstantial evidence was used to identify his remains. On December 20, 2016 the Department of Defense (DoD) officially announced the identification of 1st Lt. Francis J. Pitonyak. On September 15, 2017 the Department of Defense (DoD) announced his remains will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Memorials Pitonyak was officially declared dead the day of the mission. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Pitonyak was buried with full military honors on September 22, 2017 at Arlington National Cemetery at section 60, site 11876. Relatives David Ruth (grand-nephew of Pitonyak) "I am the grand nephew of 1st. Lt. Francis J. Pitonyak. No one in his family is alive that knows or remembers what happened to him. I discovered that Francis Pitonyak does have 2 sisters that are still alive." David C. Daniels (grand-nephew of Pitonyak) "My name is David Daniels and Dave Ruth and myself are working together on this project as to the recovery of any remains of 1st. Lt. Frances J. Pitonyak." Lydia Daniels (great niece of Pitonyak) References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Francis J. Pitonyak USAF Serial Number Search Results - P-39Q-5-BE Airacobra 42-19987 "19987 (8th FG) lost Oct 28, 1943, New Guinea. MACR 1005" Missing Air Crew Report 1005 (MACR 1005) created October 30, 1943 USAAF Overseas Accident Reports - October 1943 Attack & Conquer (1995) page 313 Recommended Recovery Sites (PNG-1986) via Brian Bennett "5. P-39Q/42-19987 A. This site was initially discovered in 1983 and later identified in 1985. Before team arrives a helipad must be constructed. The team will canoe up the Lakekamu River and walk to the site. There are no records indicating that this site has ever been visited. B. The crew member is currently listed as MIA." Memorandum For Commander, U.S. Army Central Identification Laboratory, Ft. Shafter, Hawaii "Subject: Search and Recovery Report (S&R) 14/CIL/88, P-39Q AC # 42-19987" March 17, 1989 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Francis J. Pitonyak "His remains have been recovered and identified" FindAGrave - 1LT Francis James Pitonyak (photos, tablets of the missing) Arlington National Cemetery (ANC Explorer) - Francis J. Pitonyak (grave photos) FindAGrave - 1LT Francis James “Frank” Pitonyak (photos, Arlington National Cemetery) PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - P-39Q Airacobra 42-19987 DPAA Recently Accounted For 2016 - Francis J. Pitonyak Facebook - Defense POW / MIA Accounting Agency December 20, 2016 "Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Francis J. Pitonyak, missing from World War II, has now been accounted for. On Oct. 28, 1943, Pitonyak was a member of the 36th Fighter Group, 8th Fighter squadron and was the pilot of a single-seat fighter aircraft. Pitonyak led a formation of four aircraft from Wards Airdome near Port Moresby, Territory of Papua on an armed patrol mission to Nadzab in the Markham River Valley. Due to rapidly deteriorating weather conditions and loss of visibility one of the four pilots aborted the mission, returned to base and immediately reported the other three pilots missing, The following day, an aerial search was conducted for the missing aircraft, with no results. The U.S. Army declared Pitonyak deceased as of Oct. 28, 1943. The American Battle Monuments Commission memorialized Pitonyak by including his name on the Tablets of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines. In June 1987, a team of investigators from the U.S Army Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii, accompanied by local witnesses, located the wreckage of an aircraft in the vicinity of Ulreal Village, Gulf Province, Papua New Guinea. The wreckage, which was largely intact, included a serial number consistent with the aircraft piloted by Pitonyak. In October 1988, a second team visited the crash site and noted the positioning of the wreckage suggested a low-angle controlled impact or hard landing, but they were unable to recover remains or flight equipment. In July 2016, a DPAA recovery team recovered possible dental remains and supporting material evidence from a site located in the vicinity of Urulau Village, Kerema District, Gulf Province, Papua New Guinea. Laboratory analysis and circumstantial evidence were used in the identification of his remains. Interment services are pending. Welcome home and rest in peace, 1st Lt. Pitonyak." Facebook - Defense POW / MIA Account Agency September 15, 2017 "The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from World War II, are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors. Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Francis J. Pitonyak, 25, of Detroit, and accounted for on Dec. 20, 2016, will be buried September 22 in Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington, D.C." DPAA News Release "Funeral Announcement for Michigan Airman Accounted For From World War II" September 15, 2017 "Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Francis J. Pitonyak, 25, of Detroit, will be buried September 22 in Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington, D.C." YouTube - 1st Lt. Francis J. Pitonyak - Funeral - Arlington National Cemetery - September 22, 2017 Thanks to David Ruth, David C. Daniels, Bruce Hoy and Brian Bennett for additional information Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated
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