John F. Montero was born on April 20, 1922 in Winnemucca, Humboldt County, Nevada. He resided in Humboldt County, Nevada prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army on October 29, 1942 in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Farm manager and also as Single, without dependents. John served as a Sergeant and Left Gunner on B-29 "Stockett's Rocket" #42-6261, 45th Bomber Squadron, 40th Bomber Group, Very Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

B-29 #42-6261 took off, with a crew of 11 and 1 passenger, from Chakulia, India on a bombing mission over a steel works in Yawata Kyushu, Japan. After taking off from India, and prior to actually going on the mission to Japan, they were scheduled to land in Hsing-Ching, China to refuel. They never reached the base in China. The entire crew was lost for an unknown reason. John 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.

John was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is 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