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| USAAF 5th AF 49th FG 9th FS   April 12, 1943 |
Pilot 1st Lt. Martin P. "Big Pete" Alger (survived) Force Landed April 12, 1943 MACR none Aircraft History Built by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation (LAC) in Burbank, California. Delivered to the U.S. Army serial number unknown. Disassembled and shipped overseas to Australia and reassembled. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 49th Fighter Group (49th FG), 9th Fighter Squadron (9th FS) "The Flying Knights". No known nose art or nickname. Tail Number 90. Mission History On April 12, 1943 one of twenty-four 9th Fighter Squadron P-38s that took off from Dobodura Airfield to find and intercept Japanese aircraft that had raided Port Moresby. Only three managed to find the enemy formation: Flight leader 1st Lt. Ralph L. Wire, 1st Lt. Martin P. Alger and 2nd Lt. Grover E. Fanning. During the air combat, a Zero dived after Alger's Lightning, hitting his right engine, boom and tail with with 20mm cannon shells and 7.7mm bullets that also shattered his cockpit canopy. Chased by the Zero, he flew southward over Fairfax Harbor off Port Moresby until the attacking Zero gave up. Finally, he was able to force land at 7-Mile Drome. After landing, this P-38 was written off. References Protect & Avenge (1995) pages 137-138 Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated
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