New Member -Capt Whiz

[Capt Whiz]

Yes I am an ex navigator. Turns out we have been discontinued. I am trying to find information on my wife's uncle is went MIA on dec. 18. 1942 while flying a P40 out of 3 mile strip near Port Moresby, New Guinea.

Look forward to reading the blogs and learning more about the 49th Fighter Group and the 8th Fighter Squadron.

Also, I will be in Washington DC in a couple of weeks and plan on going to the Nation Archives to do more research. If any one has done this before and could share some short cuts, I would be most appreciative. I will be looking for mission logs for Decembere of 1942 for the 46th FG.

Thanks

Capt. Whiz

 

[Capt Whiz]

MIA is 1Lt. Richard F. Dennis. 8th FS, 49th FG from East Cleveland, Ohio

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

Welcome to the forum CW! There are a lot of knowledgeable folks here who can probably help you out and hopefully the will be along soon. I hope you are able to find the answers your looking for.

 

[Njaco]

Welcome to the forum! Check out the "WWII Events" section - I think a few of us have been to the musuems in DC.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Welcome aboard!

 

[Gnomey]

Welcome.

 

[ozhawk40]

Hello Capt Whiz, great to have you around.

Lt Dick Dennis was a veteran of the air battles over Darwin Australia, and is mentioned in the book "Protect and Avenge - The 49th Fighter Group in World War II" by Ferguson and Pascalis.

Here's some info that fateful day in December 1942, straight from the book.

"The USAAF and RAAF again combined forces in another strike to Lae on December 18th to seek out the enemy air force. The infamous Lae wing proved it was still very deadly.

As the Beaufighters and A-20s roughed up the Lae Airdrome, twelve Eightballs flew in high cover over the target area. As the fighter-bombers withdrew, another rain front began to close in over the Markham River delta which masked the approach of the defending Zeros. They swept out of the mist in one firing pass and none of the Americans could bring their guns to bare. The Eightball elements separated and escaped in flights of ones and twos, except the mission leader.

Indeed, veteran Dick Dennis never returned to 3 Mile. No one saw his ship go down, nor heard a distress signal. Dennis had most certainly been killed instantly in the sudden attack, and the loss of the beloved cadre officer was a staggering blow to the entire Eightball outfit."

(Protect and Avenge - The 49th Fighter Group in World War II. Ferguson, Pascalis [p98])

Good luck with your research in DC.

Cheers

Peter

 

[Crimea_River]

Great stuff Peter and welcome Capt Whiz!

 

[DBII]

Welcome to the site. Have you contacted the Nation Archives yet? They were helpful narrowing down the search for information about my uncle several years ago.

DBII

 

[Airframes]

Welcome to the forum, and good work there Peter.

 

[Wayne Little]

Welcome from down under!

 

[wheelsup_cavu]

Welcom to the forum from sunny Southern California. 8)


Wheels

 

[Thorlifter]

Welcome to the forum