Pacific Wrecks - P-38J-10-LO Lightning Serial Number 42-67783

Missing In Action (MIA)

Prisoners Of War (POW)

Unexploded Ordnance (UXO)

Chronology

P-38J-10-LO Lightning Serial Number 42-67783

USAAF
13th AF
347th FG
339th FS

USAAF April 1943

Pilot 2nd Lt. Kenneth I. McCloud, O-743460 (survived) Anaheim, CA
Ditched January 28, 1944
MACR 1947

Aircraft History
Built by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation (LAC) in Burbank. Constructors Number 2294. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-38J-10-LO Lightning serial number 42-67783. Disassembled and shipped overseas to the South Pacific (SOPAC) and reassembled.

Wartime History
Assigned to the 13th Air Force (13th AF), 347th Fighter Group (347th FG), 339th Fighter Squadron (339th FS). No known nickname or nose art. When lost engines V-1710-91 serial number A-035929 and (right) V-1710-89 serial number 42-31427. When lost, weapon serial numbers not noted on Missing Air Crew Report 1947 (MACR 1947).

Mission History
On January 28, 1944 took off from Stirling Airfield piloted by 2nd Lt. Kenneth I. McCloud as one of fourteen P-38s escorting B-25 Mitchells from 42nd Bombardment Group (42nd BG) on a bombing mission over Tobera Airfield south of Rabaul. The weather was clear with good visibility.

Over the Gazelle Peninsula, the P-38 formation flying at 15,000' were intercepted from above by roughly 60-80 Zeros including Zeros from Ryuhō Air Group that dove down from above. During the air combat, the P-38s claim five Zeros shot down including two by 2nd Lt. Kenneth I. McCloud. Zeros from Ryuhō Air Group claim eight P-38s shot down. In fact, five P-38s were lost and three damaged including two that returned on a single engine and one P-38 damaged by fourteen 20mm cannon hits.

At the start of the air combat, McCloud and his wingman were separated from the main group by the explosion of an aerial phosphorous bomb and engaged by Zeros. During the dog fight, McCloud claimed a Zero shot down that collided with another Zero while going down. Last seen over Kabanga Bay by his wingman with a Zero shooting at this aircraft. McCloud failed to return from the mission and was declared Missing In Action (MIA). Also lost was P-38J 42-67173 pilot 2nd Lt. Garland C. Schrock (MIA), P-38H 42-66860 pilot 1st Lt. Adam Serwat, Jr. (MIA),

Fate of the Pilot
In fact, this P-38 attempted to fly back to base but due to battle damage ditched into St. Georges Channel roughly ten miles off Kabanga Bay. Seen going down, four F4U Corsairs followed him down and circled the pilot before departing the area. Later when Zeros searched the area, McCloud flipped his raft upside down and swam alongside to avoid being observed.

On the first day, McCloud attempted to paddle to New Ireland, but a strong current carried him to the southeast to the open sea. On the second day, at 7:00am, a PV-1 Ventura flew nearby and McCloud attempted to signal the plane using all his flares and sea marker (dye) but the aircraft did not spot him. At 3:00pm a PBY Catalina "Dumbo" escorted by fighters flew within a quarter of a mile of his raft and he signaled again with flares and sea marker but was not spotted. McCloud rigged his parachute as a sail and set a course towards home and paddled when there was no wind.

On the third day, two PV-1's passed within three miles, but again failed to see him and a formation of American aircraft passed overhead at 20,000', but there was no use signaling them. That night, the raft was caught in a wind storm that lasted all night and into the next day.

The fourth day, the storm caused large 30' waves and the strong wind allowed for great speed. Later that day, another front arrived and pushed the raft and blew it back to the north, further from home until it passed by 6:00pm. The storm cause the emergency rations to be lost and McCloud slept during the night to recuperate.

Awakening on the fifth day, a snooty tern had landed on the raft, and McCloud managed to catch the bird, skinned it and ate it raw. Everyday, sharks bumped into the raft. A rain storm allowed him to replenish his water supply. While attempting to fish, within five minutes a bit took the line.

On the sixth day, he caught an albatross, skinned it and dipped the flesh into the sea to salt it and dried it on the raft to make "gull jerky" but the salted food made him thirsty but it continued to rain. In the evening, Bougainville came into view, proving he had navigated correctly.

In fact, McCloud managed to deploy his life raft. Over nine days, he used its sail and sea anchor to sail southward towards Bougainville, using the sun and stars as navigation aids and conserving his food and water supply.

The seventh day, saw more planes but was not sighted by them despite using marker dye and signaling. For the remainder of the day, he sailed and paddled. On the eighth day, he observed more friendly planes but was not spotted.

Rescue
On February 6, 1944 during his ninth day at sea, McCloud's life raft was spotted by fighter escorting a PBY Catalina "Dumbo" who saw his sea marker dye in the open sea roughly 35 miles west of Buka Passage. The escorting aircraft waggled their wings to indicate they had seen him and returned with the PBY Catalina which landed and successfully rescued him. By 11:30am, McCloud was returned to his squadron on Stirling Island.

Memorials
McCloud earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart. He remained in the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and retired with the rank of Colonel. He died on March 24, 2010 at age 93. He is buried at Riverside National Cemetery at section BE row D site 248.

References
USAF Historical Study No. 85 USAF Credits For The Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II Alphabetical: McCloud, Kenneth I. page 126 (PDF page 133), Chronological: January 28, 1944 page 414 (PDF page 419)
USAF Serial Number Search Results - P-38J-10-LO Lightning 42-67783
E&E Report No. 46 - Kenneth McCloud pages 1-4
FindAGrave - Kenneth Irving McCloud (photo, grave photo)
South Pacific Air War (2024) pages 527-528 (January 28, 1944)

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Last Updated
May 20, 2026

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