Aircraft History
Built by Northrop. Constructors Number 973. Assigned to the 7th Air Force, 549th Night Fighter Squadron. When lost engines R-2800-65 serial numbers P-20081 and P-20020. Weapon serial numbers noted in Missing Air Crew Report 14254 (MACR 14254).

Mission History
On March 31, 1945 took off from Motoyama No. 1 (Southern Airfield) on Iwo Jima for a local Combat Air Patrol (CAP) over the area. The weather was overcast AC and AS base at approximately 10,000' with visual SFC winds ELY approximately 15 mph. This aircraft was lost five miles south of North Iwo Jima (Kita Iwo Jima). Believed to have hit Point King or small arms fire and crashed. When this aircraft failed to return, the entire crew was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA).

Search
Immediately, two aircraft were sent to Mount King to search for this P-61 until daybreak, and reported a fire on Point King, but no sign of this P-61 or the crew. They did observe an oil slick in the sea 1/2 mile south of Point King, and a small boat north of the island. During the day, four P-51s resumed the search at 6:30am. At 7:10, two P-61 continued to search. Air Sea Rescue sent a PBY Catalina and a destroyer to the vicinity, but found no sign of life or trace of the aircraft.

Memorials
The entire crew was officially declared dead on April 1, 1946. All are memorialized on the tablets of the of missing at Honolulu Cemetery (Punchbowl) on court 7.

References
Missing Air Crew Report 14254 (MACR 14254)
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Ashley C. Nagle
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Joseph N. De Laquila
American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Philip L. Jean
FindAGrave - 2Lt Ashley C Nagle (courts of the missing photos)
FindAGrave - Flt O Joseph N De Laquila (courts of the missing photo)
FindAGrave - TSgt Philip L Jean (courts of the missing photo)

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Last Updated
February 4, 2018