Davis, George Andrew, Jr., Lt Col

In early 1944, the 3rd Bombardment Group was joined in New Guinea by the 312th and 417th Bombardment Groups. The 312th and 417th Bombardment Groups began their combat operations with the A-20G from the start and the 3rd BG converted to the A-20G at about the same time. In September of 1944, there were 370 Havocs on duty with the Fifth Air Force in the South West Pacific Area. They received quite a bit of action in the New Guinea theatre of operation. Most sorties were flown at low level, since Japanese flak was not nearly as intense as was German flak in Europe. During these low level bombing operations, it was found that there was little need for a bomb aimer. Consequently, the bomb aimer was often replaced by additional forward-firing machine guns mounted in a faired-over nose. The A-20's heavy firepower, maneuverability, speed and bombload made it an ideal weapon for pinpoint strikes against aircraft, hangers, and supply dumps. In formation, their heavy forward firepower could overwhelm shipboard anti-aircraft defenses and at low level the A-20s could skip their bombs into the sides of transports and destroyers with deadly effect. These tactics were initially worked out by Army Captain Paul I. "Pappy" Gunn, who also adapted the same tactics to the B-25 Mitchell. The spectacularly successful results of these field adaptations led to increases in the forward firepower of production A-20 which were introduced on the production line with the A-20G model.

Some Fifth Air Force A-20s had their heavy forward-firing armament supplemented by clusters of three Bazooka-type rocket tubes underneath each wing. These tubes each held an M8, T-30 4.5-inch spin-stabilized rocket. These rocket launcher tubes turned out to be heavy and complicated, and were generally more trouble than they were worth and were not often used.

The A-20 groups turned their attention to the Philippines following the end of the New Guinea campaign. By mid-April of 1944, three full four-squadron A-20 groups of the 5th Air Force were active in the island hopping campaign that led to the invasion of Luzon on January 7, 1945. After the Philippines were secured, A-20 units turned their attention to Japanese targets on Formosa in early 1945.

The 312th Bombardment Group had been originally scheduled to replace its A-20s with A-26 Invaders in early 1945, but General Kenney rejected the A-26, maintaining that it did not meet the needs of strafer units in the Southwest Pacific arena and a decision was made for the group to convert to the B-32 Dominator and become a Heavy Bombardment Group. Both the 386th and the 387th Squadron had completed the change by the end of the war, but the 387th and 389th Squadrons still had their A-20s. The 417th BG did transition to the A-26, however.

The old 3rd Bombardment Group still retained its A-20s until the end of the war, becoming the last operational Army A-20 unit. At the end of the war, it was in preparation to move to Okinawa in anticipation of the invasion of Japan.











Miss BeHaven" of the 388th Bomb Squadron/312th Bomb Group





















312th Bomb Group
"Bevo" being flown by 1st Lt. James L. Knarr (KIA) with the gunner being S/Sgt. Charles G. Reichley (KIA).

Twelve A-20s took off from Hollandia Airfield on a mission led by Col. Strauss against Kokas,Dutch New Guinea.

This A-20 was part of the last flight of three aircraft over the target, led by Captain Jack W. Klein, with wingman 2nd Lt. Melvin H. Kapson and this aircraft. Approaching from the inland side of the the target, they dropped 250 lbs bombs and strafing gun positions. Hit by antiaircraft fire and crashed into the bay off Kokas, exploding when it hit the sea.

The other A-20s, involved in their own runs and evasive maneuvers were unaware of the fate of this A-20, until the photos of the mission were developed.

A series of four photos, taken by another A-20 ahead of it captured the plane's last moments in the air. These photos were later released to the media and appeared in Yank Magazine and TIME Magazine in support of the war bond drive captioned "Death of an A-20".




B-32 "Direct From Tokyo"

Serial 42-108530 assigned to the 312th Bomb Group. Nose art applied post-VJ Day. Its final stop on the way to the boneyard at Kingman: the factory where she was produced in Fort Worth, TX.