Check Six!: A Thunderbolt Pilot's War Across the Pacific by Jim Curran & Popravak Jr Terrence

Author:Jim Curran & Popravak, Jr, Terrence [Curran, Jim]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Casemate
Published: 2015-07-19T04:00:00+00:00

NOTES

1. The mission results were described as follows in squadron reporting: Mission 3-50, 10 November 1944, Escort B-25’s striking shipping at Ormoc Bay. Strafe shipping at Ormoc Bay, TOT 1110I. 34 P-47D’s. Results: “Missing P-47 was last seen leaving target area, heading for Tacloban Strip.”

460FS Weekly Status and Operations Report (Form 34), (Report for Period 1–11–44 to 10–11–44 Inclusive).

2. According to Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) 11295, dated 17 November 1944, 2d. Lt. Adrian A. McClendon was flying P-47D-23-RA 42-27637 on 10 November 1944. The incident occurred at 1200 over Ormoc Bay, Leyte Island, at 10 degrees 48 minutes north and 124 degrees 40 minutes east. The yellow tail marking noted by F/O J.J. Smith indicates it was an aircraft borrowed by the 460FS from the 341FS. In paragraph 3 of the MACR, weather conditions at the time were CAVU, Ceiling And Visibility Unlimited. Paragraph 5 expressed aircraft loss resulting from: “Exact circumstances not known but believed to have been shot down by friendly fighter. P-38’s attacked a flight of four (4) P-47s. Leader saw them and called on radio and the P-38’s broke off. It cannot be stated that aircraft was shot down because of violent evasive action of the rest of the flight, which prevented anyone from seeing the results of action. Testimony of Flight Officer John J. Smith (see attached eyewitness report) indicates only that missing aircraft may have been on P-38’s line of fire. Para 13, on whether the pilot may have survived, said to “See par. 5. A categorical statement cannot be made.” Testimony of Major William D. Dunham, (see attached eyewitness report) indicates only that a fire was sighted on the water after the action and that at that particular location, the waters looked as if a plane may have gone in. Neither of these statements offers conclusive evidence that (1) a plane went down (2) that Lt. McClendon’s plane was shot down in the action.” Major William D. Dunham, 460FS commander, made the following statement in the MACR “Statements in par. 5 and 13 of above report were made on the basis of my personal knowledge of the action. I was the leader of the flight mentioned in F/O Smith’s testimony as the one which Lt. McClendon joined prior to the action. I cannot state that Lt. McClendon’s plane was in the line of the P-38’s fire, nor can I state that his plane went down. I can only state that I saw a brief flame on the water directly under the place where the action occurred, and that it appeared at that spot a few moments later as if a plane might have gone under at that point. I further state that an unsuccessful attempt was made to ascertain the pilots of the P-38 flight and secure from them information pertinent to the action. No further testimony from officers of this squadron could be found.” MACR Para 16 indicated that “PBYs and flights of P-47s searched area and area fifty to one hundred miles around target for signs of life raft.

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