Japanese missions against Berry Drome (12 Mile Drome)
May 12–18, 1942
May 12, 1942 (Raid 46)
At 7:43am eleven A6M2 Zeros straffed Bomana Drome and machine gun positions in area. No damage No casualties. Intercepted by thirteen P-39 Airacobras that claim two two Zeros shot down down. Investigating possible crashes. One P-39 temporairily unserviceable. Two P39's missing including P-39D 41-6802 pilot 2nd Lt. Robert M. Wilde (KIA).
New Guinea Force Diary:
0850 Gun on hill behind Bde. H.Q. reports large column Black Smoke 7 to 8 miles on bearing 320 [degrees] and 321 [degrees]
1350 Reported Crash of Aircraft
Paga - Bearing 46 [degrees] - distance 10 miles
Tuaguba - Bearing 44 [degrees] distance 10 miles
1800 1 P39 missing in Raid 46 found at VARI VARI 1 mile inland. Pilot safe.
May 18, 1942
(IJN) Eighteen G4M2 Nells from the Genzan Kokutai led by Lt. Rokuo Nikaido drop 60kg bombs over 12 Mile Drome hitting the runway, damaging huts and destroying two parked Airacobras and damaging another Airacobra.
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