Pacific Wrecks

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Chronology

P-40K-1-CU Warhawk Serial Number ?

USAAF
5th AF
49th FG
7th FS

Pilot 2nd Lt. John C. Johnston, O-789918 (MIA / KIA) NC
MIA November 30, 1942
MACR none

Aircraft History
Built by Curtiss in Buffalo, New York. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-40K-1-CU Warhawk serial number unknown. Disassembled and shipped overseas to Australia and reassembled.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 49th Fighter Group (49th FG) "Fighting 49ers", 7th Fighter Squadron (7th FS) "Screamin' Demons". No known nickname or nose art.

Mission History
On November 30, 1942 at 1:00pm took off from 3 Mile Drome (Kila) near Port Moresby piloted by 2nd Lt. John C. Johnston as one of sixteen P-40E Warhawks of the 7th Fighter Squadron (7th FS) flying top cover for twelve P-40E Warhawks armed with 500lbs bombs from the 8th Fighter Squadron (8th FS) on a mission to bomb Buna Village.

Three P-40 Warhawks of "Green Flight" led by by Carl Aubrey with wingman P-40E Warhawk pilot 1st Lt Voorhees with element leader Don Lee and element wingman P-40E Warhawk pilot 2nd Lt. John Johnson were flying at 8,000', searching among the clouds for P-40s from 8th Fighter Squadron they were to escort.

At 2:45pm over the Dobodura area the 8th Squadron planes radioed that they were under attack by A6M2 Zeros from the 252 Kokutai west of Buna village. The two pairs of escort P-40s drifted apart and were attacked from above by Zeros. According to Captain Nelson, who was not in the dogfight, the combat was in the vicinity south of Embi Lakes, within a thirty mile radius of Dobodura Airfield.

Voorhees was credited with one enemy fighter shot down. Two other pilots: Lt. Paul J. Slocum of the 7th Fighter Squadron and and Lt. Furlso S. Wagner of 41st Fighter Squadron also claimed one enemy fighter shot down each. In fact, the intercepting Japanese only lost two Zeros shot down.

This P-40 was shot down by A6M2 Zeros south of Buna. Also lost were P-40K pilot Voorhees and P-40K pilot Wesley.

Wreckage
After the crash, natives reported to U.S. troops near Dobodura that they had found a crash site not far from an army camp. A few days later, Lt. Dick Illing 8th Squadron engineer flew to Dobodura Airfield and visited the crash site. It consisted of a muddy crater on the bank of a stream surrounded by small debris suggesting a violent impact. Illing searched through the debris for any rubber cushions used for mounting the P-40's Allison engine. He found a .45 pistol whose number matched one that had been issued to Lt. Johnson.

At 2:45pm over the Dobodura area, twelve A6M2 Zeros were encountered in a loose formation and individual dog fights ensued lasting approximately twenty minutes. Johnston's P-40 was seen to crash and explode. Also lost was P-40E piloted by Voorhees. The remainder of the flight returned to their base.

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

References
Johnston was born in 1920 in Pitt County, NC. He enlisted in the U.S. Army at Fort Bragg on August 10, 1941.
PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - P-40 Kittyhawk piloted by Johnston
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - John C. Johnston (MIA)
7th Fighter Squadron Association spells his name 'Johnson'.
Protect & Avenge page 94-95
49th Fighter Group page 30
Thanks to Edward Rogers for additional information

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Last Updated
October 18, 2023

P-40

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1 Missing

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