No_Report

Summary

Aircraft Serial Number (Type): 43-21821 (Douglas A-20G-45-DO Havoc)

9th AF; 416th Bomb Gp; 670th Bomb Sq

Mission # 145; Box: I; Flight: 1; Position: 3; A/C Fuselage Code: 2A-Z

Reason: Enemy anti-aircraft

Damage: Crash Landing, Washed out

Point Of Departure: AAF-170 Wethersfield RAF Station, England

Location: near Caen

*Personnel*
Duty	Name	Rank	S/N	Status
Pilot	Clark, Hiram Bovee	1Lt	O-750339	Not Injured
Airplane Mechanic - Gunner	Sabadosh, John Walter	S/Sgt	37341749	Not Injured
Airplane Mechanic - Gunner	Floyd, Claredon F.	S/Sgt	34507380	Not Injured

Description:
The plane piloted by Lt Hiram B. Clark was hit in the propellor dome, causing oil to leak out. The pilot left the formation, feathered the prop, and later, as a precaution, instructed his gunners, Staff Sergeants John W. Sabadosh and Claredon F. Floyd, to bail out. When an attempt to land at an emergency airdrome was made, the hydraulic system was discovered to have been shot out. After flying single engine for one and one half hours, through flak concentrated on his single plane, he crashlanded near Caen. The ship was washed out, but the pilot was uninjured. His two gunners who bailed out near Antwerp were back with their squadron on the following evening.
(416th BG History 1944)

Lt. H.B. Clark's plane was hit on the propeller dome causing oil to leak out. The pilot left the formation, feathered the prop, and continued on through flak centered on his plane which was losing altitude on its single engine. When he neared Antwerp, he instructed his gunners to bail out. They did so successfully and returned to the base a day later. Lt. Clark, expecting the plane's one engine to fail soon headed toward the beachhead. When he attempted to land, he discovered that his hydraulic system was out. He crash-landed the plane near Caen, escaping unscathed himself.
("669th Bombardment Squadron (L) History")

See Mission # 145 for additional details