43-6441 Prodigal Son, Feb-Apr 1944

AJ-X at Boxted UPL 70979 UPL 70979 AJ-X at Boxted.

This photo was provided by Steve Blake (author of "the Pioneer Mustang Group", 2008) with his permission to do with it as I please.

On

Object Number - UPL 70979 - AJ-X at Boxted.

Assigned to 334FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 355FS, 354FG 9AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) escort mission. A/C abandoned out of fuel. Pilot Lt Joseph Lilly POW. MACR 4426.  

 

The photo shows AJ-X (43-6441) next to what appears to be a hangar under construction at Boxted.  This was the plane Jim Howard flew on his 11 January 1944 Medal of Honor mission.  It doesn't seem to have had a regularly scheduled pilot at that time but by the following month it was Bart Tenore's first "Prodigal Son".  Recoded GQ-T in April, it was lost in action with Joe Lilly (who evaded capture) on the 26th of that month (Hess).  Squadron Mission Schedules show it was flown by Jim Howard on 4, 5, and 11 January 1944.

Connections

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Units served with

People

James Howell Howard

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group 356th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-511937
  • Highest Rank: Brigadier General
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot/Group Commander

Joseph A Lilly

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group 355th Fighter Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Crashed

Failed to Return (FTR)

26 April 1944 Failed to Return (FTR) escort mission. A/C abandoned out of fuel. Pilot Lt Joseph Lilly POW. MACR 4426.

Revisions

Date
Contributorjfbecker
Changes
Sources

Steve Blake, author of "The Pioneer Mustang Group", 2008

Date
Contributorjfbecker
Changes
Sources

Corrected mismatches between caption and text in previous edit.

Date
Contributorjfbecker
Changes
Sources

Author Steve Blake, "The Pioneer Mustang Group", 2008, page 58.

356th FS Mission Schedules from AFHRA for missions 9-12 and Steve Blake for mission 14.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/dbmacr.asp?MACR=4426&Submit=Go
http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/search.php?searchString=43-6441&Submit=S…

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

MACR 4426 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

43-6441: Gallery (2 items)