Description:
On January 14, 1945, Group CO Col. Bob Stauss led all four squadrons of the 312th Group for a second 312th strike at Clark Field, the most important and heavily defended Japanese airfield on Luzon. The Group was supported by P-47 fighter cover and met both ground fire and some Japanese fighter interception. The 36 312th planes came in at low level, with the four squadrons spread in line abreast formation. Depicted in the center of the paintings if the plane piloted by Captain John Alsup, CO of the 387th Squadron. Alsup, who had led the Squadron on many prior occasions, had voluntarily placed 1/Lt. Robert Ammerman in the Squadron lead on this mission, taking another position. In Alsup's plane, also, was his gunner, Cpl Oscar C. Rush. The A-20's dropped parafrag bombs and strafed targets of opportunity, including parked planes, buildings and a rail-yard. Shortly after the scene depicted in the painting, Alsup's plane was seen to nose up sharply, burst in to flames, and crash into the target area, killing the the pilot and gunner. This strike ad others were instrumental in neutralizing Japanese airpower on Luzon during the critical week of the American amphibious landing at nearby Lingayen Gulf.
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