World War II

Captain Thomas J. Lynch and his P-38 (March 1943)

Pearl Harbor was attacked December 7th, and by January, 1942 twenty pilots of the 39th were aboard the SS Ancon (1901) bound for Brisbane, Australia.^[7] The squadron (redesignated the 39th Fighter Squadron on 15 May) was one of the first units deployed to Port Moresby on New Guinea's frontline, operating under difficult weather conditions and engaging enemy pilots flying the faster and more maneuverable Zero. On 20 May, Lynch claimed his first two victories. A third followed on 26 May, while Lynch and other pilots from the squadron escorted a troop transport flight.^[9] On 16 June Lt. Lynch was jumped by 2 Zeros. He managed to break away, only to be attacked by 4 more. He eventually shook off his pursuers but was unable to coax his heavily damaged P-39 back to base. Lynch was forced to bail out at 800 ft off the coast of Port Moresby, breaking his arm in the process of exiting the cockpit.^[7]

Aces of the 39th FS at Schwimmer Airfield, May 1943, in front of squadron commander Thomas J. Lynch's P-38 number 10. Kneeling, left to right: Captain Charles P. O'Sullivan, Captain Thomas J. Lynch, 1st Lieutenant Kenneth C. Sparks. Standing, left to right: Captain Richard C. Suehr, 1st Lieutenant John H. Lane, 1st Lieutenant Stanley O. Andrews.

In June 1942, the squadron was selected to become the first Fifth Air Force P-38 squadron, and after reequipping with the new aircraft was back in combat from November, operating out of Laloki airfield. On 27 December, Lynch became an ace after he shot down two Nakajima Ki-43 Oscars over the Buna beachhead. For this action, which resulted in the breaking up of an attempted Japanese bombing raid, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.^[10] He claimed two more Mitsubishi A6M Zeroes on 31 December during a bomber escort mission to Lae.^[11]

On 6 January 1943, P-38s from the squadron bombed a Japanese reinforcement convoy bound for Lae. Lynch claimed a possible bomb hit on one ship.^[12] Lynch downed a Ki-43 while escorting Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawks on their way to bomb the Lae convoy on the next day.^[13] On 3 March, he claimed^[14] another Zero during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea.^[1]

On 24 March, Lynch became commander of the 39th Fighter Squadron.^[15] On the afternoon of 8 May, he shot down a "Hamp".

Lynch claimed another victory on 12 June. He was promoted to major in July.^[4] While on a bomber escort mission to Wewak, he claimed two Kawasaki Ki-45 Nicks on 20 August.^[16] On 21 August, he downed another Japanese aircraft. Lynch became one of the first in the South West Pacific to shoot down a Kawasaki Ki-48 Lily bomber on 4 September over the Huon Gulf.^[1] On 16 September he claimed his sixteenth victory.^[14] Lynch took a 30-day leave in October,^[4] marrying his college girlfriend, Rosemary Fullen, in Swissvale on 23 October.^[17]

Lynch returned to combat in January, assigned to V Fighter Command alongside fellow top-scoring ace Richard Bong. Bong and Lynch were allowed to "free-lance" for the next months. On 10 February 1944, Lynch claimed a victory in the Wewak area. On 15 February Lynch covered Bong while he downed a Kawasaki Ki-61 Tony on a flight back from an escort mission to Kavieng. On 28 February, he also covered Bong while he destroyed a Japanese transport possibly carrying senior officers on the Wewak runway.

After this mission, Lynch was promoted to lieutenant colonel. He claimed two more victories on 3 March. Lynch claimed his twentieth and last victory on 5 March.^[14]

Death

On 8 March, Lynch and Bong strafed barges in Aitape harbor. After setting one on fire on their first pass, they returned for a second pass when Lynch's P-38 was hit in the engine. Lynch's plane began to burn and he bailed out too close to the ground for his parachute to deploy.^[1] His remains were never found.^[6]

Distinguished Service Cross citation

Lynch, Thomas J.

Captain, U.S. Army Air Forces

39th Fighter Squadron, 35th Fighter Group, Fifth Air Force

Date of Action: December 27, 1942

Citation:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Captain (Air Corps) Thomas Joseph Lynch, United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-38 Fighter Airplane in the 39th Fighter Squadron, 35th Fighter Group, Fifth Air Force, in action near Buna, New Guinea, on 27 December 1942. Captain Lynch was leading a patrol flight of four P-38 planes when a formation of eight to ten enemy dive-bombers accompanied by fifteen to twenty fighter aircraft approached. The pilots of his flight were inexperienced and the P-38 as yet untried in combat in this area. Despite the odds, Captain Lynch led his flight in a determined attack. He succeeded in breaking the enemy formation and in preventing the enemy dive-bombers from reaching their objective. He shot down two planes, while others in his flight accounted for five. Because of Captain Lynch's daring and effective attack, other flights of our aircraft in the vicinity were enabled to attack the scattered enemy, and to shoot down six more and damage another. This engagement greatly heightened the combat spirit of Captain Lynch's squadron. Captain Lynch's unquestionable valor in aerial combat is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 5th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.^[18]

Notes

Sources

• Bradley, Phillip (2008). The Battle for Wau: New Guinea's Frontline 1942–1943. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521896818.
• Newton, Wesely P. Jr.; Senning, Calvin F. (1978) [1963]. USAF Credits for the Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II, USAF Historical Study No. 85 (PDF). Research Studies Institute, USAF Historical Division, Air University.
• Stanaway, John (2014). P-38 Lightning Aces 1942–43. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 9781782003335.