Crew History
Bustamante was lost on his first combat mission.

Aircraft History
Initially assigned to the 3rd Bombardment Group, 8th Bombardment Squadron. Transferred to the 312th Bombardment Group, 389th Bombardment Squadron. This aircraft carried no nose art, and tail letter W.

Mission History
One of nine A-20s that took off from Gusap Airfield led by Major Wells a mission attacking Alexishafen Airfield at 8:30am. Returning from the mission in the afternoon, the formation of eight A-20s was low on fuel and were following Ken Hedges in bad weather into the Finisterre Range. This aircraft plus A-20G 42-54082 and A-20G 42-54085 slammed into a mountainside in the Finisterre Range.

The next day, the 398th Bombardment Squadron A-20s searched for the missing A-20s, but found no trace of them, and continued to search for the next week and other 5th Air Force aircraft were notified to search.

Col. Strauss (312th BG C. O.) in 1985 referred to the loss of those six boys "a damned waste", he always felt responsible.

Wreckage
Discovered in the 1980s at 8,000' in the Finisterre Range.

Investigated as an MIA site by US Army CILHI during 1983. The remains of both crew members are listed as "remains recovered" on ABMC.

Memorials
Both crew were officially declared dead on January 27, 1946 and are memorialized on the tablets of the missing at Manila American Cemetery.

Relatives
Michael Bustamante (nephew of Earnest Bustamante)

References
Rampage of the Roarin' 20's pages 77-79, 193, 347, 364

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Last Updated
October 1, 2009

A-20

MIA
(Resolved)