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  P-38F-5-LO Lightning Serial Number 42-12623 Nose 16
USAAF
5th AF
35th FG
39th FS

Click For Enlargement
US Army Signal Corps
January 20, 1943
Pilot  Captain Robert L. Faurot, O-399603 (MIA / KIA) Cape Girardeau, MO
MIA  March 3, 1943
MACR  none

Aircraft History
Built by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation (LAC) in Burbank. Constructors Number 7057. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-38F-5-LO Lightning serial number 42-12623. Disassembled and shipped overseas and reassembled.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 35th Fighter Group (35th FG), 39th Fighter Squadron (39th FS). Assigned to pilot Captain Robert L. Faurot. Nose number 16. No known nickname. On the left side of the nose was painted a skull with glasses wearing a top hat, smoking a cigar above an ace of spades card. On the left side of the nose below the cockpit was painted "Capt R. L. Faurot" in white block letters. On each outer engine cowling were painted the "shark mouth" motif of the squadron.

On January 20, 1943 a U.S. Army Signal Corps photographs Faurot with this plane at 14 Mile Drome.

Mission History
On March 3, 1943 during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea took off from 14 Mile Drome (Schwimmer) near Port Moresby piloted by Captain Robert L. Fauroton a patrol mission over the Bismarck Sea. When this aircraft failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA).

Memorials
Faurot was officially declared dead December 20, 1945. He earned the Silver Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. Faurot is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. He also has a memorial marker at Maple Hills Cemetery in Kirksville, MO.

References
USAF Serial Number Search - P-38F-5-LO Lightning 42-12623
PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - P-38F Lightning 41-12623
Pacific Profiles Volume Nine: Allied Fighters: P-38 series South & Southwest Pacific 1942-1944 (2023) page 27 (photo)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) -   Robert L. Faurot
FindAGrave - Robert Lloyd Faurot (photos, memorial marker photo)

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Last Updated
March 26, 2024

 

Tech Info
P-38

MIA
MIA
1 Missing

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