Mason had all sorts of theories on the crash. It was Michael Terry who put Mason in touch with me. At one time, Art Heiden and Stan Richardson were helping, as was Warren Bodie. When 11 September happened, Mason got very busy, and I rarely if ever heard from him again. Widewing was also helping when he could, putting us in touch with a few pilots, and helping break the ice with Warren Bodie.
It should be noted that Thropp was VERY angry with Weaver when this all happened. He felt Weaver should never have left him.
Also, Weaver was right there with McGuire, and Weaver said neither he nor Mcguire was hit. He said that the enemy was on him, and he thought McGuire almost got around on the enemy, but then he saw McGuire snap roll inverted and go in.
Both Weaver and Thropp have stated that Weaver was the only one close to McGuire when he went in, Thropp was some distance away, and the enemy was between him and McGuire.
I have never seen Fukuda claim hits on any plane other than Rittmayer. Evidently Sugimoto hit Thropp, and Thropp probably shot Sugimoto down. Sugimoto was killed as he climbed out of his crashed plane by Phillipino guerillas.
I had heard of Fukuda and his being involved. But until Mason wrote this article, I had never seen Fukuda claim Sugimoto made any claims about shooting anyone down over his radio, only that he'd heard Sugimoto call for help. Sugimoto would have had to have claimed to have shot down a P-38 over his radio, because he was shot down and crashed, and was killed before he could speak to anyone.
Mason's biggest question at the time was what caused the snap roll. Stan, Art, and Warren all agreed the only plausible explanation was assymetrical power. If McGuire was not hit, then it had to be an engine problem. Without assymetrical power, the P-38 would have simply stopped turning, according to both Art and Stan.
From all of the reports I read on the autopsy, McGuire showed no signs of being hit himself. He had massive crush injury type head trauma, and his lower arms and legs were severed when the cockpit was destroyed on impact.
Major Rittmayer was probably killed instantly by Fukuda in a head on pass. Fukuda said he fired head on at a P-38, and when he passed it he was surprised to see what he thought was a "scarlet scarf" around the pilots neck. it could only have been Rittmayer, and he wore no scarf, he was likely hit in the throat by gunfire.
As to McGuire's flying style, he was known to push the P-38 so hard as to have bent more than a couple of them. He was also known to have done so at low altitudes.
As to whose plane he was flying, General Hal Gray has said that McGuire was not only flying his plane, "My Kim", but was also wearing his prized British helmet and goggles.
I do not claim to have all of the answers, not by any stretch, but I did spend the better part of a year reading reports and looking into all the theories presented. I looked into everything Mason asked me to right up until he said he had gotten busy and would have to put a hold on the project.
Weaver's report:
Thomas B. McGuire, Jr.
His Last Mission
431ST FIGHTER SQUADRON
475TH FIGHTER GROUP
APO 72
9 January 1945
INDIVIDUAL COMBAT REPORT OF CAPTAIN EDWARD R. WEAVER
A. Mission #1-668; 7 January 1945; 431st Ftr Sq; 4 P-38s.
B. Fighter Sweep to Negros Island
C. Time of attack: 0708/I.
Altitude: 1,400 feet
D. At 0620/I, 7 January 1945, I took off as #2 man in a flight led by Major McGuire, of 4 P-38s of the 431st Fighter Squadron. We climbed on course for Fabrica Airdrome on Negros Island leveling off at 10,000 feet. West of Leyte, cloud coverage became 10/10ths at 6,000 feet and remained so to the target area. Over Negros we descended through several layers of stratus clouds breaking out below the overcast at 1,700 feet, 10 miles NE of Fabrica Strip. We proceeded to that strip arriving at 0700/I and circled it at 1,400 feet for about five minutes. Major McGuire then set course at this attitude for the strips on the western coast of Negros. At about 10/15 miles west of Fabrica I saw a Zeke '52' coming directly towards us at 500 feet below and 1,000 yards ahead. By the time I radioed this information, the leader had seen the enemy, he was directly underneath us. Major McGuire, followed by his flight, made a diving turn to the left for an attack. The Zeke immediately dived to the left also and came around on the tail of #3 man, Lt. Thropp, who had previously been instructed by his element leader, Major Rittmayer, to change positions with him. The enemy was on the inside of this very tight turn at 300 feet and fired at Lt. Thropp. I radioed that the Zeke was directly behind us, and Major Rittmayer, in #4 position, fired a burst sufficient to make the enemy turn even more tightly and lose Lt. Thropp. That put the Zeke in range and inside of me, in #2 position. I radioed major McGuire that I was being attacked and increased my turn, diving slightly. The enemy stayed with me, but I was now inside and a little below my leader. At this time Major McGuire, attempting to get a shot at my attacker, increased his turn tremendously. His plane snap-rolled to the left and stopped in an inverted position with the nose down about 30°. Because of the attitude of my plane, I then lost sight of him momentarily. A second later I saw the explosion and fire of his crash. The Zeke broke off his attack just before Major McGuire's crash, and climbed to the North. It is my opinion that the enemy did not at any time change his attack from me to my leader. I believe his crash was caused by his violent attempt to thwart my attacker, although it is possible that the Major was hit by ground fire, which had now begun.
When the Zeke broke away to the North, I also turned in that direction and joined the remainder of the flight as #3 man. We all chased the enemy and Lt. Thropp, in #1 position, got in a burst just as the Zeke climbed into the overcast. A second later, as we turned to the South, the Zeke reappeared to the East and headed toward us. It got a burst at Lt. Thropp from 1000 o'clock high and I saw a slight amount of smoke come from Lt. Thropp's left engine. Pulling up my nose, I got a short burst from 30° below. Then I followed Major Rittmayer, the #2 man, in a 180° turn to the right to pursue the Zeke, who swung around and again attacked from 1000 o'clock high as we jettisoned our auxiliary fuel tanks. I saw hits on Major Rittmayer and again pulled up my nose turning to the right for a burst from 30° below. The Zeke, also being closed on by Lt. Thropp who was now above, behind and to the left of me, made a diving turn to the right from him and headed North. Lt. Thropp had continued his turn and started home with a bad left engine. The Zeke swung on his tail and fired just as Lt. Thropp entered the overcast. I was too far out of range to fire as the Zeke also climbed into the overcast, breaking off toward the South. I circled the bottom of the overcast for approximately three minutes waiting for the enemy to show himself again. Thinking that he might be above, I climbed through the overcast and looked for him there for a few minutes. Lt. Thropp radioed that he was all right and on his way home. I then gave up the hunt and set course for my base at 0715/I, landing at 0805/I.
EDWIN R. WEAVER
Captain, Air Corps
