Joseph Lancaster “Joe” Mackey was born on 20 May 1920, the son of William Afton Maceky and Estelle Mae Epperson.
He Died 19 October 1945
Buried at Fort Hill Cemetery, Cleveland, TN
Corporal
47th Army Air Force Depot Repair Squadron
Joseph Mackey was an engineer on aircraft B-25D with serialnumber 43-3668. The aircraft departed from Panagarh, India on 19 October 1945 at 0712Z. Plan was to fly direct to Cuttack if weather allowed to over fly Cuttack and land at Vizagapatam otherwise to return to Cuttack. No news was received by any source, British or U.S.A., since take off time at Panagarh. A C-47 was dispatched 23 October which landed at Cuttack, Vizagapatam, and Gannavaram. No records of Aircraft. Abandoned airfields were observed from the air with negative results. British Air Sea Rescue advised all U.S. and British flying units notified. Answers negative.
Crewmembers
Pilot, Major Charles S. McDougall
Co-Pilot, 1st Lt. Clovis Ketron
Observer, 1st Lt. Walter R. Weston
Radio Operator, T/4 Corle Ryle
Engineer, Cpl. Joseph L. Mackey
The Chattanooga Daily Times, 15 December 1945
Cpl. Joseph L. Mackey, reported missing on a flight over India on Oct. 19, has now been reported killed, according to a message received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Mackey of Charleston. No further details of his death were officially reported, but Mr. and Mrs. Mackey received details of the tragedy throught a letter one of his friends wrote his mother in Chattanooga. In this letter the Chattanooga flier said that five planes went on a mission on Oct. 17 to Bangalore in southern India and failed to return. Cpl. Mackey volunteered to accompany a rescue crew, which also failed to return and were presumed to have been lost in the Bay of Bengal.
Cpl. Mackey had been in the U.S. Army three years, 18 months of which were overseas. He was a graduate of Charleston High School and was employed at the Wheland Manufacturing Company in Chattanooga at the time he enlisted in the army. He saw service in Africa, China and Burma and had been awarded a medal for bravery during the invasion of Burma. He was a member of the Charleston Methodist Church. He is survived by his parents; two brothers, Pfc. James Walter Mackey, Moody Field, Ga.; Theodore Mackey, Charleston; two sisters, Barbara, of Washington D.C., and Christine of Charleston. He was a grandson of Mrs. J.L. Mackey and the late Dr. Mackey of Charleston and Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Epperson, here. He was a nephew of Mrs. Walter Kyle of Cleveland.
- Rank: Corporal
- Date of birth: 20 May 1920
- Date of death: 19 October 1945
- County: Bradley
- Hometown: Cleveland
- Service Branch: Army/Army Air Forces
- Division/Assignment: 47th Army Air Force Depot Repair Squadron
- Conflict: World War II
- Burial/Memorial Location: Fort Hill Cemetery, Cleveland, TN
- Location In Memorial: Pillar VII, Top Panel
- Contact us to sponsor Joseph L. Mackey
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