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| USAAF 5th AF 49th FG 7th FS |
Pilot 2nd Lt. Clarence E. Sanford (survived) Syracuse, NY Ditched March 14, 1942 MACR none Aircraft History Built by Curtiss in Buffalo, New York. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-40E Warhawk serial number 41-???? (last four digits 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 March 14, 1942 in the morning took off from Horn Island Airfield on a patrol and returned by 11:30am. After receiving a call to scramble, Captain Robert L. Morrissey ordered his pilots: "Take off together. Stay together. Don't wander from your wingman. Take off to the northwest and make a left climbing turn at full power. Form up on me." At 11:45am took off again from Horn Island Airfield piloted by 2nd Lt. Clarence E. Sanford as one of four P-40E Warhawks "A" Flight led by Captain Robert L. Morrissey with wingman 2nd Lt. House, element leader 2nd Lt. Clarence E. Sanford and element wingman Lt. Burtnette that scrambled at 15 second intervals to intercept an incoming formation of Japanese aircraft including G4M1 Betty bombers and A6M2 Zeros from the 4th Kōkūtai (4th Air Group). Flying at 10,000' to the south of Horn Island, the P-40s charged their guns as bombs started to hit the western end of Horn Island Airfield. Intercepting the escorting fighters, Sanford was last seen being chased by Zero and found himself alone after the combat with landing gear the would not stay retracted and spewing oil. Flying south, Sanford became disoriented in the haze above the Torres Strait he actually overflew Horn Island and then continued to fly 400 miles across the Gulf of Carpentaria while trying to find the coastline of the Cape York Peninsula. Out of fuel, he ditched into the sea off Cape Arnhem in the Northern Territory. When he failed to return, Sanford was declared Missing In Action (MIA) until reported to be alive by the RAAF the next day. Fate of the Pilot After ditching, Sanford swam to Bremer Island and fell unconscious on the beach. Late in the afternoon, he was found by Aboriginals who helped him and carried him to Yirrkala Missionary Post on the mainland where he recovered for ten days and was reported by radio to the Australian authorities. On March 15, 1942 the RAAF advised his Captain Robert L. Morrissey that he was safe. After he recovered, Sanford was transported by motor launch to the RAAF Hospital at Darwin then the 1st Evacuation Hospital at Brisbane and finally back to the United States for hospitalization at Walter Ried Hospital until December 1942. References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Clarence E. Sanford Horn Island (2002) pages 17-18 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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