Cause of Death: |
Killed in action, North American F-51 Mustang #321. Four aircraft piloted by Capt J. F. O. Davis, Major Blaauw, and Lts Cooke and McDonald were on a close support mission, their target being enemy troops in a valley near Yangdogwoni-ni, between the Han and Pukham Rivers. A mosquito control aircraft dived into the valley and fired a phosphorous rocket at the target area he wished the Mustangs to attack, his rocket striking a building and causing a number of enemy troops to run out into the open. Capt Davis and Lt McDonald then went in to the attack, while Maj Blaauw and Lt Cooke flew top cover for them. On the final turn into the attack, Capt Davis' aircraft rolled onto its back at about 1200 feet and appeared to go into a spin. Both napalm bombs then came off, but the aircraft did not recover, continuing to spin until it crashed, together with the falling napalm, into a gully on the side of a hill. Maj Blaauw took over command of the flight and completed the attack. |
