Michael J. Bak was born in 1919 in Minnesota. He resided in Hennepin County, Minnesota prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army on February 12, 1944 at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Mechanic and also as Married. Michael served as a Private and Engineer on C-87 #44-39265, 1330th Army Air Force Base Unit, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

C-87 #44-39265 took off from Jorhat, India on a cargo mission to Kunming, China. The last contact was made by radio when they were over Gologhat, India. They were not heard from or seen again. It is believed that bad weather conditions possibly caused their disappearance. The entire crew was lost, it was May 5, 1945. Having actually gone "Missing" on the above date, he was not officially declared by the military as being dead until May 6, 1946, 1 year and 1 day after he went missing as was the custom. His name is commemorated on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines.

Bak was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is also commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov