Tom McGuire's Most Exciting Mission...

[cheddar cheese]

Just to make this clear, McGuire wasnt shot down...

 

[wmaxt]

Part of the reason McGuire was killed was that he knew he was going to be pulled from combat and wanted to be the leading scorer. He pushed to keep getting missions and to keep getting kills.

In his last fight, whaddaya think? Did he order everyone to keep their drop tanks in hopes that after this easy kill, they could find another on the same patrol?

Uncle Ted

It was reported that he did order his men to keep their tanks. Martin Caiden reported that they were about a 1,000ft above the terain, less than 200mph and full of fuel or low, slow, and fat. He also reported that he had regained control of his plane after a high angle of attack stall but was to close to the trees. Even McGuire couldn't break all the rules of combat and make it work - even in a P-38.

 

[CDevine]

I am copying this directly from a book I have here, The Great Book of WW II Airplanes...
Alot of typing here...

During the give and take air battles to and from Rabaul in Oct 43, McGuire (Mac from here on out) flew what he remembered as his most exciting mission...

On Oct 17th, the 431st FS of 475th FG met a Jap formation head on at 23,000 ft... On the first pass, Mac got a Zeke and was promptly jumped from behind by 3 more... Getting seperated from his flight, he was left with one course of action - dive away... Going down to 12,000 ft, he felt as if he were on a huge circular stage: Zekes all around but not a single P-38... Nothing to do but fight it out...

Both Mac and the enemy exchanged numerous passes... Spotting a smoking Lightning, he attempted to help, but was bounced by a flock of fighters... He turned into the formation and engaged... One Zeke blew up, then another... With 3 for the day, it was time to leave, but before he could bank away, the instrument panel disappeared under enemy fire, the left engine broke into flames, and a 7.7 mm round hit him squarely in the wrist... Instrinctivly, he pushed foward on the yoke to get away, going straight down... The then right engine began pouring black smoke and a 20mm round exploded in the cockpit, hitting the yoke...

The rear of the canopy flew off and 5 pieces of shrapnel entered his arm and leg... The -38 was out of control, giving no response to Mac's movements... Only one fear crept into his mind, "Boy, will Nick be sore at me!!!" (He was flying Maj Franklin A Nichols' plane)...
Trying to get out, Mac became wedged halfway - the oxygen mask was firmly attached over his eyes as the wind tore at him.... Kicking like crazy, he finally came sailing out after falling 5,000 feet... Find the rip cord - it was gone, torn off!!! Another 5,000 feet was gone before he found the D-ring wire trailing behind...

At 800 feet, Mac yanked the wire, the chute deployed and he hit the water... Getting away from the chute and harness, he inflated his rubber dinghy, but it was full of bullet holes and sank away... As he was going under, a PT boat picked him up and got him to the hospital...

On November 1st, just 2 freakin weeks later, a group of 20 P-38's flew in to Tacloban air field on Leyte, which badly need more fighters... Suddenly a Japanese Tojo fighter appeared... Mac opened up the P-38 full throttle, hit the gear and flap levers, sounded a warning to other pilots, and swung around to face the Tojo... In full view of the Tacloban airstrip, the P-38 pilot attacked and shot down the intruder with one short burst.... The Tojo crashed in flames just outside the field. Finding no other Jap planes, the P-38 pilot circled and landed....

The man really was a hell of a pilot...

Mac climbed down from his beloved Pudgy V and grinned... He had just shot down his twenty-fifth Japanese aircraft.... "This is my kind of place. You have to shoot down Japs to land on your own field..."

McGuire was the commander of the 431st Fighter Squadron of the 475th Fighter Group... The pilots of the 431st felt that McGuire could do things in a P-38 that were virtually impossible... His skill with the P-38 was so extraordinary, he almost defied reality.... He had tremendous faith in his skills as a pilot and the plane he flew....

I'm trying to locate information about my wife's grandfather Kenneth Richardson. I realize that this is a long shot but I figured I would give it a try.

Apparently Kenneth Richardson was a member of the "431st Fighter Squadron – 475th Fighter Group" and was listed as MIA on 11/02/43 – which seems to indicate that he was involved an attack upon "Rabaul".

If anyone has any information concerning him I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Have you seen this site? His name is listed on it.

http://www.475thfghf.org/Roster.htm

 

[Richard_H]

In a Flight Journal Magazine, it said that McGuire and Lindbergh actually shared a tent with each other when lindy was operation with the squadron.
They had the common interest of flying obviously, but their personalities was vastly different, Mac being cocky and extroverted, lindy being the exact opposite. Also when they came back from sorties, Lynch (iirc) and Mac were the guys who talked to the reporters about their kills etc, while Bong was the laidback guy. At one point after he'd downed 3 zeroes the reporter asked, "so how many did you get today ****?" -Bong Replied " I got a Couple"
The reporter then proceeded to ask him why he was such a good shot, he then replied "maybe its because i grew up shootin birds on the farm" -- A gross understatement Lindy also attended Mac's funeral.

I also remember one particular story on how Mac used to land his P38.
First he overflew the airstrip at full speed, just a couple of feet over the runway to check if there were any bomb-craters etc there, almost at the end of the runway he pulled up in a tight loop, popping flaps and landing gear at the apex, he then proceeded to land. Other Pilots commented that they've never ever heard the P38's engine roar like that, but some also though he only did it to show off is exceptional abilities. But infact it was an effective way to get your aircraft on the ground in like 30-40 Seconds

Great pilot, that McGuire

 

[Richard_H]

It was reported that he did order his men to keep their tanks. Martin Caiden reported that they were about a 1,000ft above the terain, less than 200mph and full of fuel or low, slow, and fat. He also reported that he had regained control of his plane after a high angle of attack stall but was to close to the trees. Even McGuire couldn't break all the rules of combat and make it work - even in a P-38.

That stall, wasn't he trying to resque another mate in the flight, thus leading to the stall? Or did he suddenly just stall low and slow and then crashed?

 

[Twitch]

I guess you know then that Lindbergh shot down an enemy plane while up with Tommy. Hehehe!

Then the brass made the

 

[syscom3]

At Chino 2004 where I talked to that P38 pilot, he told us about McGuires last mission. Although he wasnt on it, when word got back to the group about his loss, there was a "pall of gloom and incredularity". Noone could believe that McGuire went in.

The briefing they got a few days later on what happened was met with a "wtf was he thinking" attitude. He violated nearly all the rules he personally briefed them on when they joined the group.

 

[wmaxt]

That stall, wasn't he trying to resque another mate in the flight, thus leading to the stall? Or did he suddenly just stall low and slow and then crashed?

He pulled an exceptionaly tight turn to go to the aid of another pilot - as the story goes.

He did break virtualy every rule in the book he was low, slow, heavy with full fuel and 300gal external tanks.

wmaxt