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  P-39F-1-BE Airacobra Serial Number 41-7222  
USAAF
5th AF
35th FG
40th FS

Former Assignments
8th FG

Pilot  2nd Lt. William "Bill" L. Hutcheson (survived) Johnson County, GA
Crashed  June 16, 1942
MACR  none

Aircraft History
Built by Bell in Buffalo, NY. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-39F-1-BE Airacobra serial number 41-7222. Disassembled and shipped overseas to Australia and reassembled.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 8th Fighter Group (8th FG) and operated from Port Moresby. Next, assigned to the 35th Fighter Group (35th FG), 40th Fighter Squadron (40th FS). No known nose art or nickname.

Mission History
On June 16, 1942 at 8:20am took off from 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby pilot 2nd Lt. William "Bill" L. Hutcheson after an air raid alert minutes earlier to intercept incoming Japanese planes. While switching from his belly tank to the main tank, this Airacobra was hit from behind by one or more A6M2 Zeros and damaged. Pilot Hutcheson bailed out and landed in a swamp then was strafed while on the ground but only his parachute was hit. and the Zeros departed.

Fate of the Pilot
Hutcheson spent the rest of the day wandering in the swamp and jungle, then used a log to float down a stream towards the coast. After reaching a village, he borrowed a canoe and paddled to 30 Mile Drome and on June 18, 1942 in the morning found help and returned to duty.

Memorials
Hutcheson was promoted to the rank of Major. He passed away on March 8, 1990 at age 70. Hutcheson is buried at Corinth Memorial Cemetery in Meeks, GA. His epitaph reads "Never-Never Give Up".

References
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - William L. Hutcheson
USAF Serial Number Search Results - P-39F-1-BE Airacobra 41-7222
"7222 lost in combat Jun 17, 1942"
RAAF Survey of Aircraft Wreckage, Papua and New Guinea page ?
"#199 | 07.52-147.42 | Bau | USAC Airacobra P-39 41-7222 | Wreckage located between Bau Village and Bau Island"
PNG Museum Aircraft Status Card - P-39 Airacobra 41-7222 notes pilot as 2nd Lt. Paul J. Magre [sic]
FindAGrave - William Lyman Hutcheson (grave photo)
Thanks to Edward Rogers for additional research and analysis

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Last Updated
January 6, 2023

 

Tech Info
P-39
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