Having actually gone "Missing" on the above date, he was not officially declared by the military as being dead until December 19, 1945, 1 year and 1 day after he went missing as was the custom.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Husband of Lois E. Bailey who resided in New York.
John "Douglas" served as a Captain & Pilot on P-47D #42-28513, 41st Fighter Squadron, 35th Fighter Group, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Wayne County, Michigan prior to the war.
On August 15, 1943 "Douglas" was piloting a P-39 Airacobra over Tsili-Tsili, Fabua, Gomorok, Morobe Province Papua New Guinea. During this mission he shot down two Japanese aircraft which earned him a "Silver Star" and the "Distinguished Flying Cross".
On December 18, 1944 "Douglas' took off from Wama Airfield on Morotai, North Maluku Province Indonesia on a strafing mission against Sanga Sanga Airfield on Tawi Tawi Island, Tawi-Tawi Province, Philippines. He was hit by ground anti-aircraft fire and crashed a few yards south of the runway.
1st Lt. Raby L. Jeanes, on the same mission, did a fly over and saw "Douglas" still sitting in his cockpit but he seemed to be hurt or unresponsive.
The next day P-47's, even though the Japanese tried to camouflaged the plane, noticed that he was no longer in his cockpit. The Japanese however had also placed fuel drums around the plane. The P-47's strafed the plane so that it would burn to make sure the Japanese would not be able to salvage anything from the plane.
It was later discovered that the Japanese had taken Capt. Bailey as a prisoner and he had even written a post card to his wife. He was allowed to escape by a guard but was never seen again. Possibly he was shot and/or executed.
"Douglas" was declared "Missing In Action".
For his war service he was awarded in total the "Silver Star with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster", the "Distinguished Flying Cross with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters" along with an Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Prisoner Of War Medal and the Purple Heart.
Service # O-431101
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Husband of Lois E. Bailey who resided in New York.
John "Douglas" served as a Captain & Pilot on P-47D #42-28513, 41st Fighter Squadron, 35th Fighter Group, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Wayne County, Michigan prior to the war.
On August 15, 1943 "Douglas" was piloting a P-39 Airacobra over Tsili-Tsili, Fabua, Gomorok, Morobe Province Papua New Guinea. During this mission he shot down two Japanese aircraft which earned him a "Silver Star" and the "Distinguished Flying Cross".
On December 18, 1944 "Douglas' took off from Wama Airfield on Morotai, North Maluku Province Indonesia on a strafing mission against Sanga Sanga Airfield on Tawi Tawi Island, Tawi-Tawi Province, Philippines. He was hit by ground anti-aircraft fire and crashed a few yards south of the runway.
1st Lt. Raby L. Jeanes, on the same mission, did a fly over and saw "Douglas" still sitting in his cockpit but he seemed to be hurt or unresponsive.
The next day P-47's, even though the Japanese tried to camouflaged the plane, noticed that he was no longer in his cockpit. The Japanese however had also placed fuel drums around the plane. The P-47's strafed the plane so that it would burn to make sure the Japanese would not be able to salvage anything from the plane.
It was later discovered that the Japanese had taken Capt. Bailey as a prisoner and he had even written a post card to his wife. He was allowed to escape by a guard but was never seen again. Possibly he was shot and/or executed.
"Douglas" was declared "Missing In Action".
For his war service he was awarded in total the "Silver Star with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster", the "Distinguished Flying Cross with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters" along with an Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Prisoner Of War Medal and the Purple Heart.
Service # O-431101
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
Having actually gone "Missing" on the above date, he was not officially declared by the military as being dead until December 19, 1945, 1 year and 1 day after he went missing as was the custom.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Husband of Lois E. Bailey who resided in New York.
John "Douglas" served as a Captain & Pilot on P-47D #42-28513, 41st Fighter Squadron, 35th Fighter Group, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Wayne County, Michigan prior to the war.
On August 15, 1943 "Douglas" was piloting a P-39 Airacobra over Tsili-Tsili, Fabua, Gomorok, Morobe Province Papua New Guinea. During this mission he shot down two Japanese aircraft which earned him a "Silver Star" and the "Distinguished Flying Cross".
On December 18, 1944 "Douglas' took off from Wama Airfield on Morotai, North Maluku Province Indonesia on a strafing mission against Sanga Sanga Airfield on Tawi Tawi Island, Tawi-Tawi Province, Philippines. He was hit by ground anti-aircraft fire and crashed a few yards south of the runway.
1st Lt. Raby L. Jeanes, on the same mission, did a fly over and saw "Douglas" still sitting in his cockpit but he seemed to be hurt or unresponsive.
The next day P-47's, even though the Japanese tried to camouflaged the plane, noticed that he was no longer in his cockpit. The Japanese however had also placed fuel drums around the plane. The P-47's strafed the plane so that it would burn to make sure the Japanese would not be able to salvage anything from the plane.
It was later discovered that the Japanese had taken Capt. Bailey as a prisoner and he had even written a post card to his wife. He was allowed to escape by a guard but was never seen again. Possibly he was shot and/or executed.
"Douglas" was declared "Missing In Action".
For his war service he was awarded in total the "Silver Star with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster", the "Distinguished Flying Cross with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters" along with an Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Prisoner Of War Medal and the Purple Heart.
Service # O-431101
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Husband of Lois E. Bailey who resided in New York.
John "Douglas" served as a Captain & Pilot on P-47D #42-28513, 41st Fighter Squadron, 35th Fighter Group, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Wayne County, Michigan prior to the war.
On August 15, 1943 "Douglas" was piloting a P-39 Airacobra over Tsili-Tsili, Fabua, Gomorok, Morobe Province Papua New Guinea. During this mission he shot down two Japanese aircraft which earned him a "Silver Star" and the "Distinguished Flying Cross".
On December 18, 1944 "Douglas' took off from Wama Airfield on Morotai, North Maluku Province Indonesia on a strafing mission against Sanga Sanga Airfield on Tawi Tawi Island, Tawi-Tawi Province, Philippines. He was hit by ground anti-aircraft fire and crashed a few yards south of the runway.
1st Lt. Raby L. Jeanes, on the same mission, did a fly over and saw "Douglas" still sitting in his cockpit but he seemed to be hurt or unresponsive.
The next day P-47's, even though the Japanese tried to camouflaged the plane, noticed that he was no longer in his cockpit. The Japanese however had also placed fuel drums around the plane. The P-47's strafed the plane so that it would burn to make sure the Japanese would not be able to salvage anything from the plane.
It was later discovered that the Japanese had taken Capt. Bailey as a prisoner and he had even written a post card to his wife. He was allowed to escape by a guard but was never seen again. Possibly he was shot and/or executed.
"Douglas" was declared "Missing In Action".
For his war service he was awarded in total the "Silver Star with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster", the "Distinguished Flying Cross with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters" along with an Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Prisoner Of War Medal and the Purple Heart.
Service # O-431101
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
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