Arthur Allen McDonald
Military
media-48972.jpeg
UPL 48972
2LT Arthur Allen McDonald
Pilot
416th BG - 669th BS - 9th AF
KIA 22 April 1944 returning from his 11th mission
Pilot
416th BG - 669th BS - 9th AF
KIA 22 April 1944 returning from his 11th mission
findagrave.com
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 669th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: Aerial Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 669th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: Aerial Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 671st Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32668142
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: Aerial Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
- Nicknames: Daddy Land's Commando
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 669th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 668th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 669th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 669th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 669th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Dallas, Texas | 9 November 1921 | |
Wichita, Kansas | 16 February 1942 | 904 Shady Way Worked for Beech Aircraft Corp | |
Other First 416th BG Combat Mission |
Vacquerie, France | 18 March 1944 | |
Died |
between Erith and Dartford, UK | 22 April 1944 | ON APRIL 24, 1944, the Douglas A-20 Havocs of the 669th Bomb Squadron, part of the 416th Bomb Group, USAAF, took off on a bombing mission against a target in France. However, before they reached the coast, the mission was recalled due to bad weather. At the controls of A-20G, 43-9941 (coded 2A-U) was 2nd Lt Arthur A McDonald. His crew that day were Joseph J Shields, and Leroy Barnard. Exactly what happened as the 669th Bomb Squadron returned to its base in Essex, no-one knows. According to the unit record, 2nd Lt McDonald lost control of the Havoc as he flew through the overcast sky. During the subsequent dive, the Havoc lost part of a wing. The unit record states 2nd Lt McDonald managed to pull the Havoc out of its dive and "before he hit the ground, he manoeuvred his plane in a last heroic effort to avoid crashing in the midst of a crowded city district. The plane struck the only open area in the vicinity". All three crewmen lost their lives.Arthur McDonald, Joseph J Shields, and Leroy Barnard were buried in the American Military Cemetery, at Madingley, near Cambridge. Only Joseph is still buried there. |
Buried |
Wichita, Kansas | Old Mission Cemetery Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kansas, US |
Revisions
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources
http://www.416th.com/missions/LoadingList.html
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/38417815/a.-allen-mcdonald
http://www.416th.com/Memorials/669-McDonaldArthur_Memorial.html
https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2238/images/44011_10_0…
http://www.416th.com/Memorials/files2/669-McDonaldArthur_IDPF_NigelStan…