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| USAAF 5th AF 58th FG 310th FS |
Pilot 2nd Lt. Herman J. Bissonnette, O-676729 (MIA / KIA) MA Crashed December 28, 1943 MACR none Aircraft History Built by Republic. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-47D Thunderbolt serial number unknown. Disassembled and shipped overseas to Australia and reassembled. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 58th Fighter Group (58th FG), 310th Fighter Squadron (310th FS). No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On December 28, 1943 took off 2nd Lt. Herman J. Bissonnette on a non-combat mission and crashed into Idlers Bay off Roku to the west of Port Moresby. According to locals, the pilot was severely wounded in the crash and rescued by locals, but died immediately afterwards. Wreckage Over the decades, most of the wreck has been scrapped, only the engine, and larger pieces still remain, in shallow water. Justin Taylan reports: "During 2003, I snorkeled over this wreck. Only the engine and propeller hub were still there, plus a few other bits of wreckage." Memorials Bissonnette was officially declared dead the day of the mission. As the flight was non-combat, he did not earn the Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. References PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - P-47 Thunderbolt (Miscellaneous) American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Herman J. Bissonnette FindAGrave - 2Lt Herman J Bissonnette (tablets of the missing) 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-47  MIA 1 Missing  3-8m |
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