John A. MacKay

[Kocab Zdenek]

His name is MacKay or Mackay. Thank you for your informationl

[Eagle0025]

There was a Captain John A. MacKay (O-791129) who was a P-38 pilot with the 428th FS of the 474th FG. MacKay was forced to crash land his P-38 (P-38J-15-LO, serial no. 42-104117) on 12 June 1944 approximately 2.5 miles west of Mauron, France after sustaining damage from his own bomb blast. MacKay evaded capture and made it back to the 474th on 9 August 1944. Is this the MacKay you were looking for?

Cheers, Gary Koch (474th FG Association Historian)

[Kocab Zdenek]

Yes, it is exactly him. Thank you indeed.

[JACK COOK]

Is this the same john MacKay who flew in the MTO with the 27th FS/1st FG???

[Eagle0025]

Hi Jack,

Yes, MacKay is one and the same. MacKay was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1920 and later moved to Vermont. He went to public school there and graduated from high school in St. Albans, Vermont in 1937. He also graduated from business college in in Burlington, Vermont in 1939. He enlisted as an aviation cadet on December 17, 1941, 9 days after Pearl Harbor. Following primary flying school at Bennettsville, South Carolina and basic flying training at Shaw Field, Sumter, South Carolina, he graduated from advanced flying school at Spence Field, Moultrie, Georgia as a 2Lt. on August 5, 1942. After an assignment with the 37th FS/55th FG at Tumwater, Washington, he was assigned for combat duty with the 27th FS/1st FG. Mackay was assigned to the 428th FS/474th FG after this tour on November 20, 1943 joining the group at Van Nuys, California.

Cheers, Gary