Pacific Wrecks Forum

Could someone please give me the serial number of a P-38 that was lost on 7/11/43. The plane was last seen going down in the Wau area, Papua New Guinea with the left engine smoking and a enemy plane pursuing it. The plane belonged to the 9th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group. The name of the pilot is F/O Archie C. Davis, Jr., KIA the same date above. Thank You: John

Am unable to find the serial for this P-38 as yet, though found the following reference in Osprey's "49th Fighter Group - Aces Of The Pacific" by Hess.

Two days later, while on patrol over Wau and Salamaua, the 9th FS jumped a large formation of Zekes. Capt Thomas Fowler got one, but not before Flt Off Archie Davis had been shot down. Both Fowler and Lt Leroy Donnell also sustained damaging hits.

I can find no 49th FG losses on July 10/11 with the Army Air Forces website's MACR database.

The ABMC databases lists ARCHIE C DAVIS, JR, T-186352 as currently Missing In Action on July 11, 1943.

49th Fighter Group, 9th Fighter Squadron (The Flying Knights)
http://www.flyingknights.net/

They had three KIA's from 10-11th

Archie Davis
+
First Lieutenant Frederick J. Sibley, KIA on the 10th
Sergeant Frederick H. Bente, KIA on the 11th

Thanks much Leondus for the George Alber picture collection. They are great and again I highly recommend to all posters to check them out
Harry