re: Have you ever known a fighter pilot that was shot down….

Yes. Charles Davidson. Houma ,La. . Charles Davidson with control yoke of A-20G "Hell'N Pelican" 42-85786


Not a fighter pilot. Wasn’t shot down. Ran out of fuel. Good story anyway.

formation ran into bad weather and "Hell'N Pelican" ran low on fuel to the west of Madang. Davidson offered McKenna the chance to bail out, but he responded "Lieutenant what are you going to do?" Davidson said "I'm going in with the ship." and McKenna said in reply "Let's go." This was one of 37 aircraft lost on "Black Sunday" when the 5th Air Force suffered its greatest operational loss of the war.

Lowering the flaps, this aircraft force landed into kunai grass near Amaimon. During the crash landing at 5:15pm, the propellers were bent back and the left wing leading edge was damaged from an impact with a small tree while skidding over 300 meters. Both were unhurt in the landing and spent the night with the aircraft, behind enemy lines.

Fates of the Crew
The next morning, the A-20 and crew were spotted by a P-47 Thunderbolt, which dropped them a message, but it landed too far away to retrieve. Later, a flight of six A-20 flew overhead and dropped notes, but again they were unable to be found. Later, a single A-20 dropped a note that read "Food on the way", plus a radio, rations, lifeboat and first aid kit. Everything was recovered except for the radio. Although both were alive, their families were notified they were missing in action.

At 16:00, a Stinson L-5 from the 25th Liaison Squadron photographed the intact A-20 from the air. Also, dropped a note to the crew with a map indicating their location and instructing them to to walk to the crash site of A-20 "Lady Constance". Both departed southward in the last afternoon with improvised backpacks made from their parachutes. Camping for the night, a rain storm flooded the area and fouled their weapons and ruined their compass.

During the morning of April 18, a Japanese patrol of ten soldiers passed nearby. After waiting for them to pass, they returned to the A-20, and camped at the edge of the jungle near the wreck. On April 19, a pair of Japanese aircraft strafed the wreck once and departed.

Dropped another note, they were instructed to clear a runway for an L-5 to land to rescue them. Working during the day in shifts. Again and the following day, a pair of Japanese aircraft returned to strafe the wreck. Trying to help clear the kunai grass, an L-5 dropped a incendiary bomb, but it failed to ignite and rains put out fires lit on the ground. Again on April 22, a P-40 dropped a incendiary, but the ground was too wet to burn.

After Australian trips captured Madang, the crew were instead instructed to walk to the Gogol River, 1.5km away. Before departing, Davidson removed the Douglas logo from the control yoke. It took them two days to reach the river through difficult vegetation, then floated down the Gogol River in a life raft, passing many crocodiles and monitored from above by an L-5.

On May 1, 1944 they spotted the HMAS Matafele and were taken aboard and transported to Madang Airfield. An L-5 arrived to transport both to Gusap Airfield, returning both to duty. Davidson had a beard after two weeks in the jungle.

Afterwards, Davidson was assigned another A-20 which he never named. On October 11, 1944 McKenna died as a passenger aboard B-25D 41-30525.

Salvage
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and Royal Australian Navy (RAN) planned a training exercise "Operation Venture One" to salvage an A-20 wreck as a training exercise, using a CH-47 Chinook from No. 12 Squadron with assistance from Michael Claringbould. Assembling at Amberley Airfield on September 11, 1984 the team departed for PNG. 1 Air Depot (1 AD) C. O. Tom Kelly was tasked with disassembly of the wreck. Departing on September 14, the team flew to Daru Airfield and then onward to Jackson Airport.

The CH-47 departed on September 17 to relocate the crash site, included passengers S/L Rick Lunburg, Michael Claringbould and Bruce Hoy, curator of modern history at the PNG Museum. They surveyed the area from the air to locate the wreck. On September 18, five team members were landed to disassemble the aircraft. When it proved too heavy to lift, the engines were removed and finally air lifted the fuselage to Madang Airport on October 1 and made a second trip for the ground crew and engines.

Loaded aboard the HMAS Tarakan, the aircraft was transported to Brisbane arriving in November 1984. Afterwards, transported to Amberley Airfield for storage and restoration.

Restoration
This aircraft was restored by the RAAF at Amberley Restoration Facility by a team led by Denis Doggett between 1984-1996. The restoration also used parts salvaged from other A-20G Havoc wrecks salvaged from Papua New Guinea. The aircraft was meticulously restored to static condition.

During 1985 312th Bombardment Group (312th BG) reunion, Michael Claringbould presented former pilot Davidson the original flight yoke from the aircraft as a gift.

During a ceremony on September 12, 1996, the A-20 was officially handed back to the Papua New Guinea government. In attendance was former pilot Charles Davidson, and his wife Thelma Davidson.

Since the restoration, stored at Amberley Airfield pending the completion of suitable display facilities for the PNG Museum in Port Moresby. It is viewable by appointment or special occasions at the RAAF Amberley Aviation Heritage Centre.

Memorials
McKenna passed away in 1975. He is buried at Saint Joseph Cemetery in Lockbourne, OH at Saint Teresa.
Davidson passed away on July 7, 2011. He was buried at Saint Francis de Sales Cemetery #2 in Houma, LA.