Serial #: 44-34200
Construction #: 27479
Model: Douglas A-26B-45-DL
Build Sequence: 1,106th Invader constructed
Squadron: 13th Bombardment Squadron (Grim Reapers)
Wing: 3rd Bomb Wing
Tail Letter: M (Mike)
Name/Nose Art: Unknown
Pilot: Col. James McBride, Jr.
Navigator: 1LT Joseph C. Wallack
Gunner: SSGT Richard C. Ross
Notes: This plane was ordered during Fiscal Year 1944. It was built at the Douglas plant in Long Beach, CA.
Fate: I’m not sure exactly when this plane joined the 13th Squadron. The 13th Bomb Squadron operated in WW2 in the Pacific Theater and received their first four A-26 Invaders as part of an evaluation on June 23, 1944. They continued to acquire more planes and operate them until VJ Day.
After the close of WW2 the 13th Bomb Squadron remained intact and operated out of Okinawa and Japan before finally moving to Korea.
This particular plane is recorded as MIA during a night bombing run. According to the official report: Last contact inbound to target at 1745L, Sinuiju-Sinanju MSR area. At least one unofficial source indicates the plane was shot down by flak.
Crew: Officially, all three crewmembers are listed as MIA in the KORWALD database. They were changed to presumed KIA status on December 31st, 1953. No bodies were recovered.
Discrepancies: The 13th Bomb Squadron Association page, maintained by the vets who flew those missions, asserted that the plane was lost on a night mission on Jan 7th, but other records claim it was a day run on Jan 6th.
The KORWALD database lists Wallack and a 2LT, but other sources list him as a 1LT.