Pilot  2nd Lt. John Clay Smith, O-736392 (MIA / KIA)
Shot Down  November 9, 1943

Pilot History
The pilot of this aircraft, John C. Smith previously force landed P-38H 42-66538 at Arufi, and was rescued, after getting lost after a mission to Wewak.

Mission History
During a dogfight over Alexishafen, Smith collided with a Ki-43 Oscar down over Fredrich Karl Harbor (Post war, known as Nagada Harbor), near Madang.

Post War Recovery of Remains 1949
The aircraft crashed on land, next to the harbor. Recovered from a grave at crash site at , where the pilot was buried by the Japanese. According to natives: "The plane crashed ] as a result of an air battle. Skeletal remains of two bodies found near the wreckage of the plane."

Burial of Remains
Listed as MIA until 1950, the remains of the pilot were buried in his hometown of Portsmith, Ohio in August 1950.

Wreckage Today
Justin Taylan visited the site in 2003:
"Enough wreckage is still present at Nagada Harbor to identify it as a P-38, and read "179" on the tail, and part of the serial number. The villagers lore about the wreck is that its haunted, and do not interfere with the wreckage. They told me when ever anyone goes near it, they get sick or bad things happen to them. Also, nearby they told me there was a 'wing' which they were unable to relocate, and further to the north, but in the same vicinity, the wreckage of a 'japanese fighter'. I was unable to see this second wreck because an outsider had partially scrapped the wreckage, and the same man denied me from inspecting what remained."

Contention Over Remains
From evidence in the US Army ARG files, it appears that remains were assumed to be those of Smith.

According to Brian Bennett:
"John C. Smith's remains were listed as X-000021 (Manus) UNK X-575 (interned at Saidor), stating that two remains were recovered from isolated burial near Fredrich Karl Harbor, near Madang. And was buried at Saidor and reinterred at Finschhafen, finally being stored at at AGRS Mausoleum, Manila as Unknown X8 Finsch #1 and Unknown X-575. Smith's status was reverted to unknown when contradictory dental carateristics were discovered. Available records indicate the identification of Smith was based primarily on association of aircraft part numbers. There is a possibily two sets of remains were recovered at this crash site."

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