89th Bombardment Squadron (89th BS)
U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), 5th Air Force (5th AF), 3rd Bombardment Group (3rd BG)

Background
The U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), 5th Air Force (5th AF), 3rd Bombardment Group (3rd BG), 89th Bombardment Squadron (89th BS) served in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) of the Pacific War during World War II.

Wartime History
On September 1, 1942 the 89th BS transfers from Charters Towers Airfield to 3 Mile Drome (Kila) near Port Moresby in New Guinea.

On December 15, 1942 damaged while landing is A-20A Havoc 39-724 and afterwards written off.

On March 26, 1943 lost is A-20C "Cleo III 40-170 pilot Captain Donald E. "Buck" Good was hit by anti-aircraft fire over Salamaua that caused the right engine to catch fire and two crew bailed, SSgt Joseph Fox was captured and executed. Good was able to ditch further to the south in the vicinity of Labu and rescued.

On May 25, 1943 redesignated 89th Bombardment Squadron (Light).

On June 16, 1943 damaged while taxing is A-20A "Rebel Rocket" 40-094 and written off.

PARTIAL HISTORY

On December 30, 1944 the squadron moves to San Jose Airfield on Mindoro Island in the Philippines.

On February 11, 1945 lost is A-20G Havoc 43-21317 pilot 2nd Lt. Bernard L. Crawford (MIA) on a courier mission bound for Manila and was shot down by anti-aircraft fire near near Fort William McKinley in Taguig. Although this aircraft was assigned to the 89th Bomb Squadron, the pilot, gunner and passenger were not members of the squadron.

During August 1945, the squadron moves to Okinawa until the surrender of Japan and the end of the Pacific War.

References
Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II (1982) pages 302-303 (89th Bombardment) [PDF pages 314-315]
Harvest of the Grim Reapers The Illustrated History of the 3rd and 27th Bomb Groups During World War II Volume I: Prewar to December 1942 (2021) by Lawrence J. Hickey, Edward M. Rogers with Osamu Tagaya and Madison D. Jonas