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B-25J-25/27-NCMitchell
USAAF
5th AF
345ht BG
500th BS

Aircraft

Vessels

SerialNumber44-30164

Missing In Action (MIA)

Pilot 2nd Lt. J. T. Lackey (KIA) Tyler, TX

Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. Carl I. Middlebrook, Jr. (KIA) Waco, TX
Navigator-Bombardier 2nd Lt. Leslie H. Anderson, O-717368 (KIA) Stuttgart, AR
Engineer-Gunner Cpl William J. Kozak (KIA) Philadelphia, PA
Radio-Gunner Cpl John Shott, 33421756 (POW, survived) Aliquippa, PA
Crashed May 17, 1945 at 9:20am
MACR 14447
Aircraft History
Built by North American. Delivered to the U. S. Army. Ferried overseas via Hawaii to the Pacific.

B-25

POW
1 Prisoner

Wartime History
Assigned to the 5th Air Force, 345th Bombardment Group 500th Bombardment Squadron. No known nickname or
nose art. When lost, engines R-2600-29 serial numbers (left) 43-35040 and (right) 43-35137. Weapon serial
numbers noted in MACR 14447.

Mission History
On May 17, 1945 took off from Clark Field (Borax Strip) on Luzon in the Philippines on a low level bombing and
strafing mission against rail road targets in western Formosa. The weather was overcast with visibility of five miles.
Over the target, this B-25 crashed roughly 4 miles east of Komo Town at 9:20am in northwestern Formosa. Last
seen by Captain Richard J. Lewis and 2nd Lt. William G. Paukovich. On impact, entire crew was killed with the
exception of Shott who was thrown clear of the bomber and broke three ribs.

John Shott recalled on June 11, 2016:

"We were flying at tree-top level in a valley, I could see muzzle flashes and they must have hit us because we
crashed. I got hungry, I was getting a cabbage in a farmer's field when three soldiers came up to me."

Fates of the Crew

After the crash, Shott hid along a river bank for three days until he was captured by the Japanese and became a
Prisoner Of War (POW). He was detained for four months until Japan's surrender then was liberated returned to the
United States.
Memorials
The four crew members killed in the crash: Lackey, Middlebrook, Anderson and Kozak were officially declared dead
the day of the mission. Postwar, their remains were recovered and transported to the United States for permanent
burial.
Lackey is buried at Tyler Memorial Park and Cemetery in Tyler, TX at good shepherd plot.
Middlebrook is buried at White Rock Cemetery in Elm Mott, TX.
Anderson is buried at Lone Tree Cemetery in Stuttgart, AR.
Kozak is buried at Long Island National Cemetery at plot J, grave 14505.

References
Missing Air Crew Report 14447 (MACR 14447)
NARA World War II Prisoners of War Data File - John Shott
FindAGrave - J. T. Lackey (grave photo)
FIndAGrave - Carl Lovelace Middlebrook, Jr (grave photo)
FindAGrave - Leslie H Anderson
FindAGrave - William J Kozak (grave photo)
Warpath Across the Pacific includes this loss
Syracuse.com "WWII vet, 93, flies in B-25 over Syracuse 71 years after Japanese shot him down" June 11, 2016
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Last Updated
June 13, 2016

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