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Pappy Boyingtion Missing... 1st Air Force Jet in Production...



Item # 555934

January 07, 1944

THE NEW YORK TIMES, from New York, dated January 7, 1944

* United States Air force 1st jet airplane goes into production
* Bell P-59 jet fighter
* Pappy Boyingtion missing


This 34 page newspaper has a two column headlines near the bottom of the front page:

* Jet-Driven Planes Built for Army; Extreme Speeds Attained in Tests

Also a one column headline also on the front page:

* Boyington Missing; Downed 26 Plane

Other news of the day with much on world War II.

Rag edition in great condition.

wikipedia notes: He tied the American record of 26 planes on January 3, 1944 over Rabaul, but was shot down himself later the same day. The mission had sent 48 American fighters, including one division of four planes from the Black Sheep Squadron, from Bougainville for a fighter sweep over Rabaul. Boyington was the tactical commander of the flight and arrived over the target at eight o'clock in the morning. In the ensuing action, the major was seen to shoot down his 26th plane. He then became mixed in the general melee of diving, swooping planes and was not seen or heard from again during the battle, nor did he return with his squadron. (In later years, Masajiro "Mike" Kawato claimed to have been the pilot who shot down Boyington's plane. He described the combat in two books and numerous public appearances (often with Boyington), but this claim was eventually "disproven," though Kawato held to his story until his death. It is a matter of record that Kawato was present during the action in which Boyington was downed, as one of 70 Japanese fighters which engaged approximately 30 American fighters.)[3]Boyington's wingman Captain George Ashmun was KIA.

Category: The 20th Century