Aircraft Action Report for 20 Jul 1944 (pg1)

Aircraft Action Report pg2

Aircraft Action Report pg3

Aircraft Action Report pg4

Aircraft Action Report pg5

Petty Officer Sabol was lost on a pre-invasion air strike on Guam July 20th 1944. Where exactly they went down isn't known but their assigned target that day was just east of Amantes Point (Two Lovers Point). The next morning the invasion forces went ashore on Guam. July 21st is still celebrated every year as Liberation Day. Also killed was the pilot Lt Leonard Wood, radioman ARM3c Edward C. Donahue, and special photographer PhoM1c Owen Smith. The aircraft was a TBM1-C with side number 96 and bureau number 45940 (sources: Yorktown report pg45, AAIR).

Grid map of Guam

After launching from the Yorktown they flew to their assigned target area but were then redirected to attack artillery and AA emplacements located just east of Amantes Point (highlighted in yellow). In a May 1999 conversation with LeRoy Kalousek he stated that Lt Woods was shot down over the beach with small arms fire and that they got hit while making a "picture" run after their first bomb run. It's not known how he knew this.

AOM3c Albert Joseph Sabol's marker at Arlington National Cemetery

Interment on Guam until 1951. Reinterment at Arlington National Cemetery on April 5th 1951.