USAAF
5th AF
8th FG
80th FS
Pilot Edwin L. DeGraffenreid
Crashed August 21, 1943
Mission History
Took off from 3-Mile Drome near Port Moresby around 10:00am to escort bombers to to bomb Dagua and But near Wewak. One of sixteen 80th FS P-38s providing close escort for the bombers.
Edwin DeGraffenreid claimed 3 victories on this mission, but was badly shot up. On the return flight, he limped to the vicinity of Port Moresby and crash landed on a beach or ditched ditched near Manubada Island (Local Island) in Joyce Bay.
References
Thanks to Richard Dunn for additional information
P-38
