Data Sources - Air Force Manual No. 200-25A, Department of the Air Force, Washington, October 16, 1961 page 1. Sanitized copy. National Archives KOREAN Conflict Casualty File (KCCF) 1950-1954.
MIAs in incident; Phelps, Ralph L.; McAllaster, John Albert, Jr.; Van Fleet, James Alward, Jr.
03/92 -- Korea, and the men yet to be accounted for -- the "official list" -- is a list of U.S. servicemen known to have been
held as prisoners of war by the red Chinese and North Koreans from the Korean War
but not released or accounted for by the communists, as released on May 27,
1957 at a hearing of the House Subcommittee on the Far East and Pacific by the Department
of Defense.
The lists, the printed minutes of the May 27, 1957 hearing and the
"sense of congress" resolution were subsequently buried in the
archives. The original list had 450 names compiled from American POWS who were
repatriated by the Reds, as well as from photographs released by the Reds, Chinese
radio propaganda broadcasts, and letters written home by captured men. The "revised" list was narrowed down in august of 1961 to 389 men, and
all were arbitrarily declared dead by the military services, the USG still
lists them as "unaccounted for".
Names and ranks only were released at the time, and printed in "The
Spotlight" on August 27, 1979, along with the above information and background.
Further information has been compiled by the P.O.W. Network from the Hawaii POW/MIA
Korean Memorial records, National Archives documentation, and public United
States Air Force documentation, and changes made to the original published
information. (FEBRUARY 1992)
John Mc Allaster Jr. is listed on the "HONOR ROLL OF FORGOTTEN AMERICANS" yet is noted as having died "while missing" by the National Archive.
03/13/2021
- KOREAN WAR
- UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
- Unaccounted For
Approximately one hour after midnight on April 4, 1952, a B-26 Invader (tail number 44-34300A, call sign Pintail 26) departed Kunsan Air Base, Korea, with a crew of three aviators. The briefed mission was a night intruder operation targeting main supply routes between Sinanju and the Yalu River (the border between China and Korea). As the aircraft approached the target area, the pilot reported they were unable to proceed to the primary target due to bad weather. A short time later, ground control diverted Pintail 26 to the supply route running from Haeju to Ongin to Chengnyon. This was the last known radio contact anyone had with Pintail 26, and it failed to return to base. All searches for the aircraft and crew were unsuccessful. At this time, there is no reliable information that any member of this aircrew was ever alive in enemy hands.
Captain John Albert McAllaster Jr., who entered the U.S. Air Force from Oregon, served with the 13th Bombardment Squadron, 3rd Bombardment Group (Light). He was the navigator aboard this Invader when it was lost on April 4, 1953. No returning POWs mentioned contact with Capt McAllaster, nor was he seen at any known holding point, interrogation center, hospital, or permanent POW camp. He remains unaccounted-for. Today, Captain McAllaster is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Based on all information available, DPAA assessed the individual's case to be in the analytical category of Deferred.
If you are a family member of this serviceman, DPAA can provide you with additional information and analysis of your case. Please contact your casualty office representative.
1st Lt JOHN ALBERT MCALLASTER Jr.
- Unit
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Country of Loss
- Home of Record