Aircraft History
Built by Douglas. Delivered to the U. S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-70 Havoc serial number 39-790.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 5th Air Force, 15th Night Fighter Group (15th NFG), 6th Night Fighter Squadron (6th NFS). No known nickname or nose art.

Mission History
On May 7, 1943 took off from Port Moresby piloted by Captain Warren G. Hornaday with observer F/O Howard M. Krause on a training flight. Last seen to dive through a low overcast and failed to pull out entered a spin and crashed into the sea roughly 100 yards off Pyramid Point near the entrance to Bootless Bay. This aircraft was observed crashing by the crew of an anti-aircraft gun on the coast. When this aircraft failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). This aircraft was the 6th Night Fighter Squadron's first fatality in New Guinea.

Memorials
The crew was declared dead the day of the mission. They are memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery.

Hornaday has a memorial marker at South Mound Cemetery at section B in New Castle, IN.

References
Hornaday was the Commanding Officer (C. O.) of 6th Night Fighter Squadron.
Some sources incorrectly list this aircraft as a P-61. Other sources list the date of loss as May 8, 1943. Another source lists crew member Krause as returned to duty incorrectly.
USAF Serial Number Search Results - P-70 Havoc 39-790
"790 (6th NFS, 15th FG) ditched off Kila Field, Port Moresby, New Guinea May 7, 1943 All three crew killed."
PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - P-61 Black Widow [sic] piloted by Hornaday
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Warren G. Hornaday
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Howard M. Krause
FindAGrave - Capt Warren G Hornaday (photo, Manila American Cemetery)
FindAGrave - Capt Warren G. Hornaday (grave photo)
Queen of the Midnight skies:
"The first fatality on New Guinea was that of the detachments C. O. Capt Hornaday and his R/O ; F/O Howard M Kreuse shortly after their arrival. Hornaday was flying under the hood in a practice flight. He and an accompanying P-70 flown by John Florence entered a thin layer of clouds. When Florence came out of the clouds Hornadays P-70 was nowhere to be seen. It was later learned that an anti-aircraft battery on the coast observed Hornadays plane spin into the sea. Florence recalls: evidently, he looked out while in the cloud layer and became disorientated."

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Last Updated
September 25, 2018