421st Night Fighter Squadron (421st NFS)
U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), 5th Air Force (5th AF)

Background
On April 30, 1943 constituted as 421st Night Fighter Squadron (421st NF Squad) in the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF). On May 1, 1943 activated at the Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics (AAFSAT) in Orlando, Florida attached to the 481st Night Fighter Operational Training Group. On May 8, 1943 Captain Walter S. Pharr becomes Commanding Officer (C. O.) of the squadron. On October 4, 1943 moves to Kissimmee Airfield with seven P-70 Havocs, the night fighter variant of the A-20 Havoc with radar and additional nose machine guns.

In early November 1943 the squadron was sent by rail to Camp Stoneman, California. On December 4, 1943 embarked aboard USAT Sea Pike at San Francisco departing December 8, 1943 for a month long voyage across the Pacific to Australia. On December 23, 1943 assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF). On December 25, 1943 arrived at Townsville but remained aboard and continued northward to New Guinea. On January 4, 1944 the squadron was disembarked at Milne Bay.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 5th Air Force (V Air Force), 5th Fighter Command (V Fighter Command). On January 27, 1944 the first elements of the ground echelon was flown aboard C-47 Skytrains to Nadzab Airfield with the movement completed by February 3, 1944. On February 1, 1944 transfered to Nadzab Airfield with a detachment of P-38s at Finschafen Airfield.

On February 21, 1944 the squadron's pilots were flown aboard a C-47 to Garbutt Field at Townsville to ferry fourteen P-38s to New Guinea for assignment to other Fighter Squadrons. Afterwards, pair of P-38F Lightnings from 5th Fighter Command were loaned to the squadron for local familiarization flights and training purposes. Both planes were old and required considerable work to keep them operational. On February 16, 1944 two more P-38F Lightnings were added to the squadron inventory. On February 19, 1944 a fifth P-38 was assigned for a total of five P-38s that operated as a detachment at Finschafen Airfield.

On February 29, 1944 the squadron flew their first combat mission when P-38 pilot 1st Lt. Paul Zimmer, P-38 pilot 1st Lt. Dorrie E. Jones and P-38 pilot 2nd Lt. William B. Robbins took off from Finschafen Airfield to fly top cover for the U. S. Army landing at Los Negros. Flying in poor weather, Robbins aborted the mission. Soon after take off, P-38 pilot 1st Lt. Paul Zimmer was experienced several issues including landing gear that would not fully retract, propeller speed indicator failure and was unable to release his drop tanks. When his right engine failed, he bailed out over the Sanga River and while landing sprained his ankle but returned to duty. Alone, only P-38 pilot Jones reached the target area but the weather was overcast but returned safely.

In the middle of March 1944, the squadron began flying weather reconnaissance missions for 5th Fighter Command (V Fighter Command) from Nadzab Airfield.

On March 13, 1944 in the early morning two P-38s from the Squadron took off from Nadzab Airfield and fly as far as Tadji to observe weather conditions escorted by P-38J "Marge" 42-103993 piloted by Captain Richard I. Bong.

During this period, Captain Richard I. Bong flew mission with the squadron in hopes of scoring more aerial victories and offered advice to the pilots. Bong flew with the 421st NFS on at least five dates: March 13, 1944, March 14, 1944, March 15, 1944 and March 16, 1944 with Major Walter S. Pharr and March 17, 1944 with Major Walter Pharr.

On March 23, 1944 Bong's plane P-38J "Marge" 42-103993 was flown by squadron pilot 2nd Lt. Tom Malone on a weather reconnaissance mission and returned safely.

On March 24, 1944 at 7:00am P-38J "Marge" 42-103993 pilot 2nd Lt. Thomas E. Malone and P-38 pilot Lt. Rolland Forrester took off on a weather reconnaissance mission bound for Wewak. After take off, the pair encountered bad weather with a heavy overcast and turbulence beyond 30,000'. Roughly 50 minutes into the flight, Malone experienced problems with the left engine cooler shutters and radio reception was poor. Due to the bad weather, the P-38s lost contact with each other but heard a radio message from base stating the mission was canceled. Shortly afterwards, Malone's radio failed, one engine stopped and the propeller failed to feather followed by an electrical failure. His plane, P-38J "Marge" 42-103993 went into a spin and descended to an altitude of 11,000' before Malone bailed out and was later rescued.

On April 8, 1944 lost is P-38 Lighting pilot Kuzmack (KIA) while landing at Nadzab Airfield a B-24 taxied onto the runway and his plane suffered an engine failure and crashed. Pilot 2nd Lt. Alexander A. Kuzmack was the first casualty of the 421st Night Fighter Squadron (421st NFS).

On May 28, 1944 the squadron sent a flight detachment to operate from Wakde Airfield operating the P-70 plus P-38 Lightnings handed down from fighter squadrons then returns to Nadzab Airfield on September 21, 1944.

Meanwhile, the rest of the squadron begins equipping with the P-61 Black Widow night fighter. On June 28, 1944 the squadron (less the detachment on Wakde) moves to Owi Airfield on Owi Island.

On July 5, 1944 crashed while landing is P-61A Black Widow 42-5494 on a mission. Returning, the nose landing gear did not extend and force landed causing the propellers to break off with one of the blades impacting the fuselage only 6" behind the cockpit and barely missing the crew who were unhurt.

On October 25, 1944 moves to Tacloban Airfield on Leyte in the Philippines and continues to operated the P-38 and P-61 as part of the 86th Fighter Wing (86th FW).

During early 1945 a detachment of six P-61s were assigned to U.S. Navy Task Force 94 (TF-94) to IsComPeleliu under the command of U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) Brig. General Campbell and operated from Peleliu Airfield on Peleliu Island. In late February 1945 the detachment returned to Tacloban Airfield.

On February 5, 1945 lost is P-61A Black Widow 42-5562 pilot King (MIA).

On February 8, 1945 moves to San Marcelino Airfield on Luzon but a detachment continued to operate from Tacloban Airfield until March 23, 1945.

On April 27, 1945 the entire squadron moves to Clark Field on Luzon and operates the P-61 exclusively. On July 24, 1945 the squadron moves to Ie Shima Airfield on Ie Shima until the end of the Pacific War.


Postwar
On November 25, 1945 moves to Itazuke Airfield on Kyūshū Island in Japan. On February 20, 1947 inactivated. On Apri 13, 1962 redesignated and activated as 421st Tactical Fighter Squadron in the U.S. Air Force (USAF). On July 8, 1962 organized at George Air Force Base (George AFB).

Commanding Officers (C.O.)
Captain Walter S. Pharr May 8, 1943

Awards
Philippine Presidential Unit Citation

References
421st Night Fighter Squadron Squadron History
NARA CINCPAC War Diary 1/27/45 - 2/28/45 page 101 (IX-3)
(Page 101 - IX-3) Ninth Fleet (Cont'd) Task Force 94 - 421st NF Squad. (Temp Duty from SWPA) (9 P-61)
Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II (1982) pages 517 (421st NFS) [PDF pages 529]
The 421st Night Fighter Squadron in World War II (2010) by Jeff Kolln details the squadron