P-51D CL-J 44-14007

Not Known

Not Known

0-0-0

0-0

08 July 1944 - Joined 338th Fighter Squadron
MACR No. 07624

1/Lt. David R. Hailey, Jr. reported: "on 10 August 1944, in the course of a dive-bombing and strafing mission, 2/Lt. McFarland, flying #2 in Red flight, crash landed, destroying aircraft, P-51D, CL-J.  Lt. McFarland was flying my wing.  He had just completed a low strafing pass on road traffic about 15 miles SW of Chalons sur Marne, (France) on the highways running between Vatry and Chalones sur Marne.  Geographic coordinates, 4855-0415.  As I passed over a wooded area I saw Lt. McFarland's ship hit the trees and crash.  It caught fire and exploded.  I circled the area at tree top level and as I withdrew only the engine of the ship was visible.  The rest of the airplane was completely destroyed by fire and explosion of the bombs which he had not released.  I did not see him get free of the crash.  Time of crash was approximately 1800."

Lt. McFarland's MIA status changed to KIA, 02 October 1944, after notification of the Red Cross from Germany.  Lt. McFarland is buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, California.

Reproduced with kind permission of Mr. Robert M. Littlefield from the author's book Double Nickel - Double Trouble