Coombe Thomas C., Jr.

Monuments

The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan

Name:

Thomas C., Jr. Coombe

Rank:

First Lieutenant

Serial Number:

O-799724

Unit:

India-China Wing, Air Transport Command

Date of Death:

1944-05-25

State:

Pennsylvania

Cemetery:

Manila American Cemetery, Taguig, Philippines

Plot:

Walls of the Missing

Row:

Grave:

Decoration:

Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal

Comments:

Thomas C. Coombe, Jr. was born on July 6, 1920 in Tamaqua, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. He served as a First Lieutenant and Co-Pilot on C-46A #42-23600, India-China Wing, Air Transport Command, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

C-46A #42-23600 took off, with a crew of 4, from Misamari, India on a cargo mission to Kunming, China. After takeoff they were not seen nor heard from again and it is unknown whether they crashed in India or China. The entire crew was lost. Thomas was declared "Missing In Action" on this mission during the war. His name is commemorated on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines.

He 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