E-mails from Walter Markey of the 39th Fighter Squadron, 35th Fighter Group and the 9th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group

E-MAILS FROM WALTER MARKEY
OF 39TH SQUADRON, 35TH FIGHTER GROUP
AND 9TH FIGHTER SQUADRON, 49TH FIGHTER GROUP

Subject:    P-38 aircraft
Date:             Thu, 12 Apr 2001 15:36:50 -0400
From:           Walter Markey <wmarkey@attglobal.net>

In the process of preparing to speak to the New Jersey Aviation Hall of Fame(USA) I came across your web site on the internet. I am a retired US Air Force pilot. I was one of the early arrivals in Australia in 1942, having trained 90 hours in the P-38 in the United States. My first station was at Amberly Field flight testing the aircraft that had been assembled at Eagle Farm. While awaiting the arrival of our squadron from Darwin, four of us were ordered to join the 39th Fighter 35th Fighter Group in New Guinea. Your web site mentioning the 35th Fighter Group was interesting.

Incidentally, has anyone ventured to locate crashed aircraft along the coast of New Guinea? I was one of four in a flight that had been escort for C-47 airdrop above Salamua. At the completion of the drop we made a strafing pass along the Japanese airstrip at Salamua. On the flight back to Dobodura we were flying over the water at about 100' altitude. About halfway back to our base I checked and was unable to locate one of our aircraft. Our search and subsequent search by others was without success.

Perhaps there has been some research that has a web site of missing aircraft in the New Guinea area.

Subject:    P-38 aircraft
Date:             Sat, 14 Apr 2001 08:46:44 -0400
From:           Walter Markey <wmarkey@attglobal.net>

The use of "Pursuit" was the Army Air Corp designation at the time. As a separate service the Air Force uses "Fighter Squadron".

We were attached the to the 39th in November & December until our assigned squadron, the 9th Squadron, 49th Fighter Group arrived from Darwin. I presume your home page records the the 9th Squadron - "Flying Knights".

Subject:     P-38 aircraft
Date:              Sat, 14 Apr 2001 21:49:13 -0400
From:            Walter Markey <wmarkey@attglobal.net>

I passed through Townsville on a few occasions returning from Australia to New Guinea from R & R. Dick Bong & I usually went to Brisbane, then to shore at Southport. On one occasion we went down to Sydney where the 49th Fighter Group maintained an apartment in the Rose Bay section. We generally sought to ferry some type of airplane from Townsville back to New Guinea. It was necessary for fighter aircraft to hang out in Townsville until an aircraft with a navigator aboard was also going to New Guinea because of the long over water distance. At the time we arrived in Australia it apparently was not the large base as you now describe it. I still recall two weeks of cold nights in a 4 man tent in Mid September.

We were finally billeted in the Ipswich Hotel until we left for assignment at Port Moresby.

I need your help

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