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

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Object Number - UPL 48972 - 2LT Arthur Allen McDonald Pilot 416th BG - 669th BS - 9th AF KIA 22 April 1944 returning from his 11th mission

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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

Date12 Apr 2021 03:05:46

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