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.
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)
Thomas Myers listed on the "HONOR ROLL OF FORGOTTEN AMERICANS" yet is noted as having died "while missing" by the National Archives.
03/13/2021
- KOREAN WAR
- UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
- Unaccounted For
Major Thomas Ellis Myers, who joined the U.S. Air Force from Missouri, was a member of the 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 51st Fighter-Interceptor Group. On October 2, 1950, he departed Itazuki Air Base piloting an F-80C Shooting Star (tail number 49-702) as the lead aircraft on a three-plane attack mission targeting enemy rail lines in the vicinity of Wonsan, North Korea. After making rocket passes on boxcars in Wonsan, the flight turned south, following the tracks toward Singosan. While making a strafing run over a barracks and a rail-yard at Singosan, Maj Myers's Shooting Star was hit by anti-aircraft fire. He ejected from the aircraft before it crashed, drifting into a wooded area south of Singosan. Another pilot on the mission reported seeing Maj Myers hanging limply in a tree, suspended by his parachute. Enemy presence prevented further investigations in the area, and Maj Myers remains unaccounted for following the incident. No returning POWs mentioned having contact with Maj Myers, nor was he seen at any known holding point, interrogation center, hospital, or permanent POW camp. He has not been identified among the remains returned to U.S. custody after the ceasefire. Today, Major Myers 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.
Maj THOMAS ELLIS MYERS
- Unit
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Country of Loss
- Home of Record