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| USAAF 13th AF 18th FG 70th FS (44th FS Detachment) |
Pilot 1st Lt. Ralph J. Sooter, O-727569 (MIA / KIA) Sedgwick County, KS MIA June 5, 1943 at 3:00pm MACR 606 / 611 Aircraft History Built by Curtiss in Buffalo, New York. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-40F-15-CU Warhawk serial number 41-19838. Disassembled and shipped overseas to the South Pacific. Wartime History Assigned to the 13th Air Force (13th AF), 18th Fighter Group (18th FG), 70th Fighter Squadron (70th FS). No known nose art or nickname. This aircraft was assigned to the 44th Fighter Squadron Detachment (44th FS Detachment) operating from Fighter 2 (Kukum) on Guadalcanal. When lost engine V-1650-1 serial number 41-48?56. Weapon serial numbers not noted in Missing Air Crew Report 606 (MACR 606). Mission History On June 5, 1943 took off from Fighter 2 (Kukum) on Guadalcanal piloted by 1st Lt. Ralph J. Sooter on a fighter sweep led by Captain Jack A. Bade over Kahilli Airfield on Bougainville prior to a bomb mission by SBD Dauntless. Weather was good and clear. Over the target at 22,000', intercepted by a pair of Zeros that hit this P-40 during their first firing pass, causing it to smoke. Captain Jack A. Bade radioed Sooter to dive, but he did not respond, continued to glide with a Zero on its tail. Captain Bade fired on the trailing Zero, but was hit himself, and never saw Sooter again. Last see near Shortlands. When this aircraft failed to return, it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Search Captain Bade made one search circle then departed the area. Memorials Sooter was officially declared dead the day of the mission. He earned the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart, posthumously. Sooter is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. References Missing Air Crew Report 606 (MACR 606) pilot Sooter created September 11, 1943 Missing Air Crew Report 611 (MACR 611) pilot Johnson was created created September 11, 1943 (with map circa June 1943 indicating the approximate loss locations of 1. Morrissey, 2. Johnson, 3. Sooter and 4. Carter) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Ralph J. Sooter FindAGrave - 1Lt Ralph J Sooter (photo, tablets of the missing photo) Vampire Squadron: The Saga of the 44th Fighter Squadron (1985) page 33 13th Fighter Command in World War II (2004) page 170 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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 P-40  Map June 5, 1943  MIA 1 Missing |
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