Madden's Final Days
On June first of 1944, the squadron attacked landed enemy planes at Ransiki to support operations in Dutch New Guinea. They led the 90th in the attack, destroying four enemy planes, exploding two trucks, lighting a third truck aflame, and causing damage to temporary camp areas and nearby stores.
The next day, ten planes took off to bomb Waren, but returned on transmission that there was going to be a solid line to the West, causing them to remain on ground alert. They went to attack enemy planes which landed on Noemfoor Island, setting four planes on fire and two fuel dumps on fire. One of said fuel dumps created a large explosion, and many buildings were blown up. Lastly, on June 3rd, his last day of life, he went to search for an enemy convoy with 11 other planes. They sank two ships, but in this attack, Madden lost his life. He died about 100 miles off shore of Cape Manganeki, which is about 100 miles away from Manokwari, Dragonshead, Netherlands New Guinea. He had been flying in a plane with Sgt. Eugene L. Evans, in a group of four aircraft attacking enemy shipping, but broke formation at about three o’clock to attack a ship on his own. After attacking this plane, his plane encountered a high-speed stall, and crashed into the ocean.
The men in the other airplanes confirmed that Madden did indeed bomb a ship after breaking formation, and in doing so his left engine and wing suffered failure. From there, he could not regain control in time and perished. Captain Greene passed over the wreck and found no survivors, claiming he arrived “Thirty seconds after it crashed and disintegrated.”
Later, Captain David J. Donovan commented that Madden was,
The next day, ten planes took off to bomb Waren, but returned on transmission that there was going to be a solid line to the West, causing them to remain on ground alert. They went to attack enemy planes which landed on Noemfoor Island, setting four planes on fire and two fuel dumps on fire. One of said fuel dumps created a large explosion, and many buildings were blown up. Lastly, on June 3rd, his last day of life, he went to search for an enemy convoy with 11 other planes. They sank two ships, but in this attack, Madden lost his life. He died about 100 miles off shore of Cape Manganeki, which is about 100 miles away from Manokwari, Dragonshead, Netherlands New Guinea. He had been flying in a plane with Sgt. Eugene L. Evans, in a group of four aircraft attacking enemy shipping, but broke formation at about three o’clock to attack a ship on his own. After attacking this plane, his plane encountered a high-speed stall, and crashed into the ocean.
The men in the other airplanes confirmed that Madden did indeed bomb a ship after breaking formation, and in doing so his left engine and wing suffered failure. From there, he could not regain control in time and perished. Captain Greene passed over the wreck and found no survivors, claiming he arrived “Thirty seconds after it crashed and disintegrated.”
Later, Captain David J. Donovan commented that Madden was,
“Killed in action at Cape Manganeki while making an attack on shipping. As a result of mechanical failure and low altitude, the plane was seen to do a split S, and crash into the water and disintegrate. Approximate time of casualty: 1515 K.”