Max Lamar Rockey was born on January 22, 1924, in Eaton County, Michigan. He was the son of Frederick Charles Rockey and Minnie Gawthrop Rockey. He enlisted in the service on January 1, 1943. He served in the 534th Bomber Squadron, 381st Bomb Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Tail Gunner of the B-17 #42-97084 nicknamed ''Spare Charlie'' during World War II.

On June 22, 1944, the B-17 Flying Fortress "Spare Charlie" was shot down while on a bombing mission between Tingry (Pas-de-Calais) and Abbeville (Somme), France. The aircraft took off from Station 167 in Ridgewell, Essex, UK, and was hit by German anti-aircraft fire over the target area. The flak strike damaged two engines and set the wing ablaze. At 19:08, just moments before the aircraft broke apart and crashed, the waist gunner was the only crew member able to bail out. The B-17 disintegrated in mid-air and went down near Épagnette, France. The rest of the crew perished in the crash.

SSgt Rockey was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, Colleville-sur-Mer, Departement du Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France.

Source of information: francecrashes39-45.net/, www.americanairmuseum.com