Celso R. Mosteiro was born in 1916 in Spain. He resided in New York County, New York prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army on February 17, 1941, prior to the war, in New York City, New York. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Office Clerk and also as Single, without dependents. Celso served as a First Lieutenant and Navigator / Bombardier on B-25J #43-3961, 82nd Bomber Squadron, 12th Bomber Group, Medium, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

B-25J #43-3961 took off, with a crew of 6 and two other B-25's, from Pandaveswar, India on a Ammunition Ferrying Mission to Palel, India. After takeoff they seen by the other B-25's, however due to extreme cumulus clouds, they were eventually not seen again. The were believed to be lost either due to the weather conditions or mechanical failure. Celso was declared "Missing In Action" on this mission during the war. Having actually gone "Missing" on the above date, he was not officially declared by the military as being dead until February 11, 1946. His name is commemorated on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines.

Celso 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 but his name is inscribed as Calso.

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