Not many aircraft can lay claim to the distinction of altering the course of World War II, yet the Douglas A-20 Havoc twin-engine light bomber is one such example. According to the official U.S. Air Force historical account, The Army Air Forces in World War II, the A-20 played a pivotal role in shifting the tide of the Papua, New Guinea, campaign in favor of the Allies, thereby influencing the trajectory of the war in the Southwest Pacific. By the war’s end, A-20s had traversed nearly every theater of conflict and had served under the banners of numerous nations.
Taking to the skies for the first time in 1938, the Douglas Aircraft Company initially crafted the light bomber as the DB-7, envisioning its export to France. Upon acquisition by the Royal Air Force, the DB-7 earned the moniker “Boston,” aligning with the tradition of naming bombers after cities. Renowned for its speed and agility, the Boston proved adept in ground-attack operations. While the French employed their DB-7s primarily as level bombers, the British opted for low-altitude assault tactics. Concurrently, the U.S. Army designated the A-20 as its principal attack bomber.
Despite certain sectors within the Army Air Corps advocating for high-altitude “precision” bombing during the 1930s, ground attack remained a cornerstone of the service’s objectives. Rooted in World War I and perpetuated in the post-war era, the notion of ground attack found a staunch advocate in Captain George C. Kenney, whose tenure as commander of the Far East Air Forces would see A-20s play a pivotal role in his strategic vision.
As the United States readied itself for wartime exigencies, the Army placed an order for 300 DB-7 aircraft slated for delivery in 1940. Redesignated as the A-20 for U.S. service, the aircraft also inherited the appellation “Havoc,” a title previously adopted by the British for a subsequent iteration of their DB-7s. Distinguished by its glass-enclosed nose for a bombardier, the Havoc also boasted fixed forward-firing .30-caliber machine guns, along with additional armament situated in the rear cockpit and a gunner’s tunnel facilitating downward and rearward firing capabilities.
The 3rd Attack Group, hailed as the Army’s foremost ground-attack formation, underwent a significant transformation with the introduction of the new light bomber aircraft. Relocating from San Antonio, Texas, to Savannah, Georgia, in 1940 marked the beginning of this transition, with the unit promptly receiving A-20s upon arrival. As the clouds of war gathered, seasoned officers within the group were redeployed to establish and train fresh units, leaving Lieutenant Bob Strickland to assume command. The squadron found itself under the leadership of lieutenants across the board. Despite the anticipation of promptly receiving new A-20s in Australia upon their departure in early January 1942, the 3rd Attack Group endured a prolonged wait, with the aircraft only starting to arrive in July of that year.
The delayed delivery of A-20s to the 3rd Attack Group led to a unique turn of events, as the initial American combat sorties in the Havoc were executed by members of the 15th Bomb Squadron. Tasked with deployment to England alongside the Eighth Air Force, these airmen found themselves attached to an RAF squadron for training due to the unavailability of the anticipated night-fighter variant of the A-20, designated as the P-70 by the Army. Subsequently reassigned to the attack role, the squadron underwent rigorous training alongside RAF counterparts. On July 4, 1942, a joint mission involving six squadron crews from the 15th Bomb Squadron and six RAF Boston crews marked not only the maiden American combat operation in Bostons but also the inaugural mission for the Eighth Air Force. Despite encountering challenges, including the loss of aircraft and crew, Captain Charles C. Kegelman’s valiant actions earned him the Distinguished Service Cross.
Following these initial operations, the long-awaited A-20s for the 3rd Attack Group finally arrived in Australia by early August. However, the aircraft lacked essential armaments upon arrival. It was at this juncture that Captain Paul Irving Gunn, affectionately known as “Pappy” amongst his peers in the Fifth Air Force, assumed a pivotal role. A former U.S. Navy aviator, Gunn’s expertise and leadership were instrumental in transforming the newly arrived A-20s into potent weapons. Relieved of his transport duties and reassigned to the 3rd Attack Group on March 28, 1942, Gunn’s contributions extended beyond combat sorties, as he also oversaw the group’s mechanics with unwavering dedication.
When the A-20s touched down in Australia, Gunn assumed the responsibility of assessing their readiness prior to engaging in combat. After conducting his evaluation, he approached Colonel Davies with his findings: while the aircraft appeared serviceable, they required certain modifications to optimize their effectiveness on the battlefield. Gunn’s primary concern centered around their armament; he deemed the .30-caliber machine guns insufficient for combat operations. Fortunately, a surplus of .50-caliber machine guns salvaged from downed fighters was readily available in Australia. Drawing from his experiences during extensive low-altitude transport missions in the Philippines at the outset of the conflict, Gunn proposed a transformative idea: converting the light bombers into strafers.
With Davies’ endorsement, Gunn assembled a team of mechanics to implement the modifications. Each A-20 received a nose-mounted package housing four .50-caliber machine guns, supplemented by an additional pair mounted on fuselage pods, providing a formidable array of six forward-firing heavy machine guns. As Gunn neared completion of the project, the arrival of the new Far East Air Forces commander, Lt. General George C. Kenney, at Charter Towers provided an opportunity for inspection. Impressed by both the modification and Gunn’s ingenuity, Kenney suggested yet another enhancement.
Having been intimately involved with the Army Air Corps’ research and development endeavors prior to the war, Kenney had championed innovations such as the parachute fragmentation bomb—a compact, 27-pound ordinance suspended beneath a parachute. Recognizing the potential synergy between the .50-caliber guns and the exploding fragmentation bombs, Gunn wasted no time in integrating them into the arsenal. Arriving at Charter Towers the following day, the parachute fragmentation bombs were swiftly incorporated into the aircraft’s armament.
Gunn finalized the modifications on the inaugural aircraft shortly after Kenney’s visit and conducted a demonstration flight with Davies as a witness. The devastating firepower unleashed by the six .50-caliber guns tore through the foliage of a selected wooded area with alarming efficacy. Dropping a series of para/frag bombs, Gunn observed as they gently descended to the ground before detonating, transforming the surrounding trees into mere splinters. Davies and Gunn were convinced of the modified A-20’s superiority. Gunn proposed extending the same enhancements to the B-25s with unwavering confidence.
On a fateful day, July 12, 1942, the tranquil shores of the Lae Peninsula on Buna’s north were disrupted by the ominous arrival of Japanese troops. Their incursion marked the beginning of a relentless southward march towards Port Moresby, tracing the arduous path of the Kokoda Track snaking through the formidable Owen-Stanley Mountains. By September 9, the Japanese had seized Ioribaiwa, a settlement just shy of their ultimate prize, Port Moresby, prompting the Allies to brace themselves for the impending onslaught. Amidst the uncertainty of the Pacific War in early September 1942, a pivotal moment loomed on the horizon, poised to reshape the course of events.
The dawn of September 12 unveiled a new chapter in warfare for the Japanese forces entrenched at Buna. In a thunderous spectacle, nine modified A-20 aircraft, under the command of Captain Don Hall aboard the renowned Kentucky Red, emerged from the canopy, heralding a devastating aerial assault. Laden with General Kenney’s fragmentation bombs and bristling with six .50-caliber machine guns each, these aircraft descended upon the unsuspecting enemy with ferocity.
The initial trio of A-20s streaked perilously close to the ground, raining bullets upon the airfield and unleashing their deadly payload upon the clustered bombers lining the runway. Bewilderment turned to chaos as the Japanese defenders scrambled to retaliate, only to succumb to sheer pandemonium as subsequent waves of bombers completed their runs unscathed. Henceforth, the Japanese found themselves thrust into a defensive quagmire, their erstwhile offensive aspirations dashed.
The resounding success of the September 12 onslaught prompted General Kenney to swiftly mobilize his fighter squadrons for similar engagements, arming them with para/frag bombs to wage relentless low-altitude strafing sorties against Japanese ground forces. Within a scant month, the strategic arteries feeding Buna were severed, rendering the once-potent air assets stationed at Buna and Lae impotent. The Japanese juggernaut, which had encroached perilously close to Port Moresby, now found itself in retreat, forced to navigate the treacherous Kokoda Track in a desperate bid to evade the relentless aerial onslaught.
Even General Horri, the esteemed Japanese commander, was not spared the wrath of the A-20s, meeting his demise alongside his compatriots as they were unceremoniously cast into the abyss when the Kumusi River Bridge crumbled under the relentless bombardment.
As the ranks of modified A-20s swelled, their crews honed their skills in a myriad of tactical maneuvers. Among these was the venerable art of skip-bombing, a technique perfected by low-flying bombers to target enemy shipping. Employing a delayed-action fuse, these bombers would skim the waves, dispatching their lethal cargo to ricochet across the water’s surface before finding its mark upon the hull of unsuspecting vessels. With the A-20s’ versatility, pilots could now assail enemy decks with strafing runs, disrupting the coordinated response of the ship’s anti-aircraft batteries with deadly precision.
The Battle of the Bismarck Sea underscored the efficacy of skip-bombing techniques. Towards the end of February 1943, Allied intelligence intercepted communications revealing a substantial convoy of troop ships departing from the Japanese stronghold at Rabaul on New Britain, bound for Lae with reinforcements. On March 1, a B-24 reconnaissance aircraft of the Fifth Air Force spotted the convoy, which subsequently came under attack by B-17s the following day, resulting in the reported sinking of one transport vessel.
Subsequent attacks the next morning, conducted by B-17s and B-25s from medium altitudes, induced the convoy to disperse. The lowering cloud cover deceived the Japanese, who were unprepared for the onslaught unleashed by a dozen B-25s and A-20s flying at wave-top levels, bomb bays open and guns ablaze. Spearheading the assault was the B-25-equipped 90th Bomb Squadron, closely followed by Captain Ed Chudoba’s squadron of modified A-20s. The B-25s inflicted significant damage on the troop transports with their accurate bombing runs, while the A-20s added to the chaos, with Chudoba’s squadron delivering devastating blows to a large cargo vessel.
In the ensuing chaos, Captain Glen Clark’s element targeted a destroyer, scoring two direct hits on its aft section, causing substantial damage. Additional A-20 crews inflicted further damage on both transports and their escorts, resulting in the sinking of five ships and leaving six others ablaze. Renowned naval historian Samuel Eliot Morrison described the assault as “the most devastating aerial attack on ships during the war.” The combined efforts of the A-20s and B-25s struck the convoy again later that afternoon.
The Battle of the Bismarck Sea marked a pinnacle in the history of both the A-20 and the B-25. Never before had land-based bombers proven so lethal against naval vessels. This engagement constituted a crucial turning point in the Pacific theater, thwarting Japanese attempts to reinforce their troops in New Guinea. Henceforth, Japanese maritime assets in the Southwest Pacific became vulnerable, allowing the Allies to shift their focus to offensive operations aimed at driving the Japanese out of New Guinea and advancing towards the Philippines and, ultimately, Japan.
In contrast, light bomber squadrons in Europe did not wield the same decisive influence that elevated the A-20 to prominence in the arsenal of the Fifth Air Force. Nonetheless, they made significant contributions. Following the July 1942 attacks, the 15th Bomb Squadron received its own complement of A-20s and resumed training alongside RAF light bomber groups. After achieving operational readiness, the squadron executed numerous medium-level bombing sorties across the English Channel, targeting objectives in France and the Low Countries. Subsequently, the squadron joined the newly formed Twelfth Air Force in North Africa following Operation Torch.
In the North African theater, and subsequently in the Mediterranean and European theaters, the primary objective of the light bomber missions was to provide crucial ground support. Following a brief stint in combat operations in North Africa, the 15th Bomber Group was recalled to the United States and replaced by the 47th Bomb Group. Tasked with engaging Axis tactical targets such as tanks and troop concentrations, the A-20 aircraft of the 47th Group collaborated with fighter units under the XII Support Command. Notably, during the Battle of Kasserine Pass, the 47th Bomb Group undertook operations against advancing German armored columns, completing 11 missions and earning a Distinguished Unit Citation.
Despite the group’s initial training for low-level operations, General James H. Doolittle, commanding the Twelfth Air Force, opposed such tactics and ordered the A-20 and B-26 groups under his command to function as light and medium bombers instead. Consequently, bombsights were installed in the aircraft, and enlisted personnel within the group were trained as bombardiers to augment the formerly two-man crews. In this revised capacity, the A-20s of the 47th Group participated in assaults on docks, airfields, and railway targets. Throughout the Italian campaign, they remained dedicated to their role as light bombers, striking bridges, troop concentrations, and airfields ahead of ground units.
As the Allied forces bolstered their presence in the British Isles, A-20s were redeployed to England to support the Ninth Air Force, which had relocated there to aid Allied ground operations during the Normandy Invasion. Within the 97th Combat Wing, comprised of three light bomber groups—the 409th, 410th, and 416th Bombardment Groups (Light)—A-20s commenced combat operations preceding the Normandy landings, targeting coastal installations and other sites along the French coastline. On D-Day, these aircraft descended below cloud cover to bombard German positions behind the beaches. Subsequently, they provided vital air support to ground troops, attacking enemy troop concentrations, railways, bridges, and other tactical objectives. Throughout the summer of 1944, A-20s significantly contributed to the Allies’ breakout from the invasion beaches. Their tactical role persisted until the conclusion of the war, with A-20s from both the Ninth and Twelfth Air Forces remaining active.
While A-20s served admirably in the European theater, it was in the Pacific theater that they distinguished themselves through audacious low-altitude attacks. As the Fifth Air Force advanced northward through New Guinea and into the Philippines, the 3rd Bombardment Group was joined by the 312th and 417th Bombardment Groups. Transitioning to an all A-20 configuration in early 1944, the 3rd Attack Group, under Colonel John Henebry’s leadership, specialized in close air support missions. The A-20s, agile and well-armed, proved ideal for executing low-level strikes against enemy troop positions, machine-gun emplacements, tanks, and artillery in close proximity to friendly forces, particularly during ground troop landings at Sadior and in the Admiralties.
Skip-bombing proved its efficacy particularly in engagements against larger naval vessels. On the 5th of April, 1945, a squadron consisting of three A-20 aircraft, piloted by Colonel Dick Ellis, commanding officer of the 3rd Attack Group, Lieutenant Colonel Charlie Howe, and Major Ken Rosebush embarked on an extensive anti-shipping sortie. Their orders were to coordinate their attack with the B-25s, yet due to unforeseen circumstances, they lost contact with the Mitchells. Despite this setback, they pressed on and engaged a small convoy comprising a cargo ship and two destroyer escorts. Astonishingly, they successfully sank all three vessels. Although Colonel Kenney expressed displeasure at Colonel Ellis’s deviation from orders, opting to press forward instead of aborting the mission, he nevertheless honored the valor of all crews involved by decorating them for their remarkable achievement.
Beyond their service in the United States military, Bostons and Havocs found their way into the arsenals of other nations, including France, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Soviet Union. France emerged as an early adopter of the DB-7 Bostons, with Free French Forces personnel also taking to the skies in A-20s. The Royal Air Force of Britain operated both Bostons and Havocs within its light bomber squadrons until the middle of 1944, when it transitioned to the DeHavilland Mosquito. Notably, the Soviet Union emerged as the principal foreign procurer of Douglas light bombers. Following initial shipments via maritime routes, the majority of these aircraft were ferried overland by crews of the Ferrying Command to Alaska, from where Russian pilots flew them to theaters of combat.
Despite its somewhat muted recognition in aviation circles, the Douglas light bomber played a significant role in the war effort. While only a handful of A-20s survived the conflict, its legacy lived on in the form of the more heavily armed A-26 Invader. Although the A-26s saw limited combat action in the final stages of the war, they found greater prominence in postwar military operations, continuing to serve admirably in conflicts such as the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
