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| USAAF 5th AF 49th FG 9th FS  USAAF 1942   USAAF 1942  Kittyhawks, Darwin 1942 |
Pilot 2nd Lt. Ralph L. Wire (survived) Crashed November 22, 1942 MACR none Aircraft History Built by Curtiss in Buffalo, New York. Constructors Number 19610. Originally built for a lend-lease contract for the Royal Air Force (RAF) with serial number ET735. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-40E-1 Warhawk serial number 41-36089. Disassembled and shipped overseas to Australia and reassembled. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 49th Fighter Group (49th FG), 9th Fighter Squadron (9th FS) "The Flying Knights". Nose number 71. Assigned to pilot Lt. Robert M. McComsey. No nickname. Behind the cockpit on the left side of the fuselage was a painted portrait of his wife Fern L. (née Dunwoody) McComsey inside a white circle with a border. This P-40 was based at Batchelor Field and Livingstone Field and participated in the defense of Darwin. On September 7, 1942 filmed with Lt. McComsey standing next to the nose art reading a letter. Also, photographed flying in formation with P-40E "The Rebel" 41-25164. Mission History On November 22, 1942 took off from 3 Mile Drome (Kila) near Port Moresby piloted by 2nd Lt. Ralph L. Wire on a mission to escort C-47s bound for Dobodura Airfield. During the flight, Wire left formation early due to his engine overheating and smoking forcing him to bail out near Myola. Fate of the Pilot Wire parachuted to the ground safely and landed unhurt. Over the next two days, he walked to Myola where he met Australians who led him over the Kokoda Trail to Kokoda where he was flown from Kokoda Airfield back to Port Moresby and returned to his squadron. Afterwards, he was transfered to China Burma India (CBI) to the 51st Fighter Group. He retired from the U.S. Air Force (USAF) as a Lieutenant Colonel. He passed away February 6, 1995 and is buried at San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery at plot C-3, 0, 478. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - P-40E-1 Warhawk 41-36089 "36089 (MSN 18610) to RAF as ET735, diverted to USAAF. With 49th FG, 9th FS engine failed and pilot bailed out near Kokoda, PNG Nov 22, 1942." USAF Historical Study No. 85 USAF Credits For The Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II Alphabetical: McComsey, Robert M. page 126 (PDF page 133) AWM Kittyhawks, Darwin F01778 P-40E 41-36089 (0:20–0:31) Lancaster New Era "Army Officer, Bride" January 22, 1942 page 2 History Highlights of the 49th Fighter Group 1941-1946 page 40 "Lt. Wire, R., was forced to leave the mission early due to engine over-heating. He bailed out somewhere near Myola Air Strip. This air field was about fifteen miles SSE from Kokoda Pass and only a Tiger Moth or a Piper Cub could land. It was used for emergency pick-up and to drop supplies to the Australian troops. Lt Wire spent two days spent two days trying to cover the three or four miles before he reached the Australians stationed in Myola, and two more days before he was rescued and returned to his sq." PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - P-40 Kittyhawk piloted by Wesley AAIR November 1942 USAAF Overseas Accident Reports - P-40E 41-36089 piloted by Wire Protect & Avenge pages 92, 349 "After an uneventful morning sweep over Buna, Lt. Ralph Wire tried to return in his faltering ship, but bailed out of his smoking stager short of the Moresby area. The lieutenant came to rest on a high plateau near the top of the Owen Stanley range just east of Myola village. Wire had supplies dropped to him by a passing transport and was eventually able to walk down to the Kokoda Trail two days later. Australians took him to the transport strip at Kokoda village and he flew back to 4 Mile Field [sic 3 Mile] after his fifth day of absence." FindAGrave - Ralph Lester Wire FindAGrave - LTC Robert Marvin McComsey (grave photo) Thanks to Edward Rogers for additional information and research 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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