17804 F4U-1 VF-17 21 Nov 43 Ondonga Augusta Bay
Pillsbury, C.A., Lt. Missing
Would you believe the substantial remains of this plane are still sitting in the jungle down in the Solomons? A single Japanese rifle bullet struck Lt. Pillsbury in the head while he was flying low en route back to base over Balalle Island I believe. His wingman lost sight of him as they separated to fly around either side of a high hill, and he remained MIA until his plane was discovered by a construction crew who were building a road though the area during the 1960's. After the pilot was shot, the Corsair settled into the jungle canopy below, coming to rest in fairly intact condition. The original paint on the aft fuselage is all but intact and pristine, including the national insignia with it's red surround (at least it still was during the late 1990's). Too bad the US Navy has no desire to recover the only surviving combat Corsair from it's all-time highest scoring squadron.