Douglas A-20K Havoc 44-184 - Northern Ireland -1st July 1945

On the 1st July 1945 at 11:00 hrs Lt Fred A Barton took off from AAF 597 Langford Lodge in a War-Weary A-20 on a test flight. Around half an hour later at 12:00 this aircraft was reported to have crashedI. The aircraft struck the base of a hill bounced into the air and hit again about 60 yards up the hill where it exploded. Parts of the aircraft where scattered up and over the hillside for a distance of almost 300 yards. The only witness found at the time of the accident stated he saw the aircraft flying low and fast before it struck the ground. The aircraft was in such a condition that no conclusion could be made to the cause of the crash.

Although Mechanical Failure cannot be ruled out due to the previous pattern of mechanically related accidents in these War-Weary A-20s, A thorough site excavation would possibly reveal some answers.

 

1st Lt Fred A Barton

USAAF

Service Number 0-826069

30th November 1923 - 1st July 1945

Georgia

 

Above, official pictures from the accident report showing the hill like terrain. A wing on a hedgerow to the left and on the right appears to be many components severely damaged..
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1st Lieutenant Fred Anthony Barton "0-826069" was born on the 30th Novermber 1923 in Atlanta Georgia making him 21 at the time of the accident, his father being Albert L Barton also of atlanta GA, He was Married on the 19th February 1944 in Daugherty County GA to Mrs Lillie Irene Barton of Faith Avenue Southeast Georgia, he is survived by his son Fred A Barton Jr, Entering active service on the 8th December 1944 as a First Lieutenant in the USAAF, he seemed to be based overseas in his short aviation career at the Modification and Repair depot at Langford Lodge Northern Ireland assigned to the 343rd Air Service Squadron as a Test/Ferry pilot, Flight testing War-Weary aircraft and Ferrying them back and forth across Northern Ireland and England, he had a total flight log time of 305 hours on various types of aircraft such as A-20's and B-17's, Lt Bartons remains where interred on the 4th July 1944 at 11:00hrs at the American Military Cemetery at Lisnabreeny near Belfast with full military honours, his remains being disinterred in 1947 and shipped home to be laid to rest in West View Cemetary Atlanta Georgia on the 13th July 1948, a bronze marker reads "Fred Anthony Barton - Georgia - 1st Lieut AAF HQ & HQ SQ - World War II - Nov 30th 1923 - July 1st 1945

If you are related to Lt Barton or knew of him please get in touch with us, we would greatly appreciate any information or photographs you may have, Will - Site Admin