321st BG, 447th BS, B-25 Mitchell Combat over N. Africa. Saturday, 20 March 1943 --- 447th BS Special Account: On March 20 the squadron took part in a sea sweep and it was on this date that we suffered our first battle casualty. A convoy was sighted and attacked. Flak from the ships damaged the planes flown by Lts. Albert Duke and J. P. Burns. Then fighters attacked and Lt. Duke’s plane was shot down and crashed into the sea at a point about fifty miles behind enemy lines. S/Sgt. Govoni, the tail gunner, was killed before the crash but the rest of Lt. Duke’s crew managed to get into the life raft. There were five of them: Lt. Duke, Lt. J. Howard Ackley, Lt. Douglas Orr, S/Sgt. Francis Noble, and S/Sgt Robert C. Drogosch. They rowed to shore and made their way back to friendly outposts after three days and nights behind enemy lines. Lt. Orr, Lt. Ackley, S/Sgt. Noble, and S/Sgt. Drogosch later received the Purple Heart for injuries received when the plane crashed.

Lt. Burns had one engine shot out and was limping toward home when five enemy fighters attacked him. By skillfully maneuvering his plane so as to give his gunners full advantage he enabled them to drive the fighters off and made a successful crash landing at the friendly base of Bone. The turret gunner, S/Sgt. James A. Woody was killed by fire from the fighters. The rest of the crew escaped without serious injury. They were: Lt. Burns, Lt. McKinley, Lt. B. Cohagan, Lt. Paul W. Lingrel, S/Sgt. Joseph Perpich, S/Sgt. Lee Byerly. Lt. Burns received the Distinguished Flying Cross for this action. S/Sgt. Joseph Perpich received the Purple Heart.

A/C No. 41-13176 “Alley Cat” (crash landed
Burns, John P. “Buster”, 2Lt
Cohagan, McKinley B. “Kin”, 2Lt
None
Lingrel, Paul W. “Big Moose” , 2Lt
Perpich, Joseph G, S/Sgt
Byerly, Lee E., S/Sgt
Woody, James A., S/Sgt
None

447th BS: War Diary of: McDuff, Daniel R., 2Lt, pilot: (although Lt Duke & Crew didn’t return to the 447th until 27 Mar 43, this entry is placed here for continuity)
“…no one in the outfit is very fond of sea-sweeps! Too many ships have turned up either missing or all shot to pieces. Burns and Duke, to begin with---and now several others I’d rather not write about.
Burns brought his ship down in a crash landing at Bone==shot full of holes. We have pictures of it now at headquarters and, believe me, it looks like a sieve. They immeasurably increase my faith in the ability of the B-25 to fly under adverse battle conditions.

447th BS War Diary: Our squadron participated in two missions today. Lt. R. Richardson arrived at Ain M’Lila today. He was left behind at Borinquen Field Feb 16 for an engine change. S/Sgts. Perpich, Noble, Drogosch credited with one E/A each shot down during sea sweep.
Drogosch, Robert C., S/Sgt, radio-gunner Noble, Francis L. “Frank”, S/Sgt, gunner
Perpich, Joseph G, S/Sgt, engineer-gunner Richardson, Robert W. "Rich", 2Lt, pilot

447th BS Mission Summary: (Ops Order 3/mission 3) Group Mission # 3: The first was a sea sweep. A convoy was sighted and attacked. During the attack two of our planes were seriously crippled by flak, the one flown by Lt. Albert Duke and the one flown by Lt. J.P. Burns. Then fighters attacked and Lt. Duke was shot down at sea. With him were his CP, Lt. Ackley; Bombardier, Lt. Douglas Orr; and gunners, S/Sgts. Govoni, Noble and Drogosch.

Five enemy fighters attacked Lt. Burns’ ship. He was alone and his turret gunner, S/Sgt Woody had been killed. Shortly afterwards his tail gun was shot out leaving only his two waist guns to fight off the attackers. S/Sgt Woody had managed to shoot down one of the fighters before they got him. The other gunners chased the rest of the fighters away. Lt. Burns made a crash landing at Bone. There were over two hundred bullet holes in his plane but he called in tonight and reported that all the crew were safe except S/Sgt. Woody. With Lt. Burns were his CP, Lt. Cohagan; Bombardier, Lt. Lingrel; and gunners, S/Sgts Woody, Perpich and Byerly.

No word was received from Lt. Duke’s crew today and they are assumed lost. Thus the squadron suffered its first casualties of the war today.

321stBG,447thBS, B-25 Combat Mission #3.

James A Woody