Thomas Scott Mackie
Military ROLL OF HONOUR
(Photo provided by Alan R. Mackie, his nephew)
Uploaded
Object Number - UPL 22698 - Second Lieutenant Thomas Scott Mackie, Army serial number O-694922, was bombardier on the crew of Lt Arthur D. Erwin in the 838th Bomb Squadron of...
Killed in Action (KIA) 20 Jun 1944 in B-24H #42-95217. Bombardier on the Arthur D. Erwin crew, 838th Bomb Squadron; killed in action on 20 June 1944 when B-24H 42-95217 was shot down by flak on the mission to Misburg near Hannover, Germany (MACR 5935).
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Lavenham/Alpheton Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
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Died |
20 June 1944 | ||
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Born |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA | Second Lieutenant Thomas Scott 'Tom' Mackie, Army serial number O-694922, was born at Frankford, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania on December 28, 1922. He was the youngest of seven children of William Smith Mackie (4 May 1881 – unk) and Christina (Scott) Mackie (abt 1882 – unk), who were born at Aberdeen, Scotland. His parents married about 1904. His father was a comb maker. His father immigrated to America about 1906, and his mother about 1907. The family lived in various places in Philadelphia. By 1940 the family home was at 956 Anchor Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended Philadelphia public schools, and graduated from Frankford High School in February 1940, where he received the school music award. He had a fine voice, and continued his musical education under the guidance of Mr. Hugh McLaughlin, chorister of Seventh United Presbyterian Church. He sang in the church choir, and was often the tenor soloist. He later attended Temple University, where he pursued courses in metallurgy. At the time of his enlistment in the Army Air Corps, he was employed by MetLab Corporation, a nationally known metallurgy firm in Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania. His enlistment record states that he worked as an unskilled heat treater, annealer, or temperer. He was single when he enlisted on July 31, 1942. He was called to active service in January 1943, and entered Army Air Forces bombardier training in Class 43-14 at Ellington Field in Houston, Texas. He completed the course at Midland Army Air Field in Midland, Texas, where he received his wings and commission as a Second Lieutenant on October 7, 1943. His wife was Ellen (Davidson) Mackie of Frankford, Pennsylvania. They married in February 1944 while he was stationed at Alamogordo Army Air Base, New Mexico, about one month before he deployed to England. His home of record was 4546 Teesdale Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, his wife's address in 1944. | |
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Buried |
Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial | After the war, Lt Mackie's remains were reinterred at Ardennes American Cemetery, Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium in Plot D, Row 17, Grave 15. | |
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Other Killed in Action (KIA) |
30629 Misburg, Germany | 20 June 1944 | After commissioning he was assigned to the heavy bomber crew of Lt Joseph P. Willis in the 838th Bomb Squadron of the 487th Bomb Group. The Willis crew completed B-24 combat crew training with the 487th Bomb Group at Alamogordo Army Air Base, New Mexico, and deployed with the Group to England in March 1944. The crew flew B-24H 42-52577 overseas via the southern Atlantic ferry route—a journey of about 10,000 miles—and arrived in England by mid-April 1944. The 487th Bomb Group was based at U.S. Army Air Forces Station 137 near the village of Lavenham, Suffolk, England, and was part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe. Here is the Willis crew roster during the deployment to England: B-24H 42-52577 – Crew #87-8-5 – 838th Bomb Squadron • Joseph P. Willis – 2/Lt – Pilot – O-752090 • Robert L. Wasson – 2/Lt – Copilot – O-750900 • Thomas S. Mackie – 2/Lt – Bombardier – O-694922 • Garold (NMI) Genung – 2/Lt – Navigator – O-759798 • Alfred T. Estright – Cpl – Engineer/Gunner – 13145420 • Richard S. Robinson Jr – S/Sgt – Radio Operator – 15354274 • Robert E. Pierson – Sgt – Armorer/Gunner – 32768428 • William E. Jones – Sgt – Engineer/Gunner – 39539624 • Gilbert E. Rogers – Sgt – Engineer/Gunner – 17121055 • Francis G. Hodge – Capt – Group Bombardier – O-387660 After arrival at Station 137, Lt Mackie was assigned to the crew of Lt Arthur D. Erwin in the 838th Bomb Squadron. Here is the Erwin crew roster on June 20, 1944: B-24H 42-95217 – 838th Bomb Squadron • Erwin, Arthur D – 2/Lt – Pilot – KIA • Mass, Rubie R – 2/Lt – Copilot – KIA • Mackie, Thomas S – 2/Lt – Bombardier – KIA • Musser, Elmer G – S/Sgt – Engineer – KIA • Boyd, Leslie L – S/Sgt – Radio Operator – KIA • Lumpkin, Claude L – S/Sgt – Nose Turret Gunner – KIA • Kussy Jr, Leroy S – Sgt – Top Turret Gunner – KIA • Rosenberger, Jearold F – S/Sgt – Ball Turret Gunner – KIA • Ross, Albert L – S/Sgt – Tail Turret Gunner – POW Lt Mackie and seven of his crew mates were killed in action on June 20, 1944, when their aircraft, B-24H 42-95217, was shot down by flak on the mission to bomb an oil refinery at Misburg near Hannover, Germany. Just after bombs away, the aircraft received a direct flak hit which tore off the tail. The aircraft spun to the ground in flames, and crashed at Hannover-Langenhagen, about five kilometers north of Hannover. The bodies of eight crew members were found in the wreckage. The dead were buried initially at the military cemetery in Hannover-Limmer. S/Sgt Albert Louis Ross, the tail gunner, was able to bail out and landed at Mecklenheide near Hannover. He was captured there and became a prisoner of war. |
Revisions
1. Mackie, Alan R. Personal Communication about Mackie Family History. Jun–Jul 2016 (a nephew)
2. McKannan, Darren. Personal Communication about Mackie Family History. 20 Jun 2016 (a great nephew)
1. 487th Bomb Group Association
2. 1930 US Census; Pennsylvania; Philadelphia County; Philadelphia City; Ward 23; 1637 Foulkrod Street. Mackie, William S. 21 Apr 1940 (his father)
3. 1940 US Census; Pennsylvania; Philadelphia County; Philadelphia City, Ward 35; 956 Anchor Street. Mackie, William. 15 Apr 1940 (his father)
4. American Battle Monuments Commission
5. Army Air Forces Bombardier School, Midland Army Air Field, Texas. Class 43-13 Graduation Program. 7 Oct 1943 (provided by Alan R. Mackie, his nephew)
6. de Jong, Ivo. The History of the 487th Bomb Group (H). Paducah KY: Turner Publishing, Oct 2004
7. Enlistment Record of Thomas S. Mackie
8. HQ, 359th Combat Crew Training School, Alamogordo Army Air Base, New Mexico. Special Orders Number 71. 11 March 1944 (487th Bomb Group flight echelon order to proceed from Alamogordo, New Mexico to Herington, Kansas during the deployment to England)
9. Mackie, Alan R. Personal Communication. Jun–Jul 2016 (a nephew)
10. McKannan, Darren. Personal Communication. 20 Jun 2016 (a great nephew)
11. Obituary of Thomas S. Mackie (provided by Alan R. Mackie, his nephew)
12. Social Security Death Index
13. U.S. Army Air Forces Missing Air Crew Report 5935
14. U.S. War Department. World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel. Washington, D.C., June 1946
15. World War I Draft Registration of William Smith Mackie. 12 Sep 1918 (his father)
16. World War II Draft Registration of William Smith Mackie. 27 Apr 1942 (his father)
1. 487th Bomb Group Association
2. United States Census
3. American Battle Monuments Commission
4. de Jong, Ivo. 'The History of the 487th Bomb Group (H)'. Paducah KY: Turner Publishing, Oct 2004
5. Enlistment Record of Thomas S. Mackie
6. HQ, 359th Combat Crew Training School, Alamogordo Army Air Base, New Mexico. 'Special Orders Number 71'. 11 March 1944 (487th Bomb Group flight echelon order to proceed from Alamogordo, New Mexico to Herington, Kansas during the deployment to England)
7. Social Security Death Index
8. U.S. Army Air Forces Missing Air Crew Report 5935
9. U.S. War Department. 'World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel'. Washington, D.C., June 1946
10. World War I Draft Registration of William Smith Mackie. 12 Sep 1918 (his father)
11. World War II Draft Registration of William Smith Mackie. 27 Apr 1942 (his father)
ABMC, MACR 5935 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 5935 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
