Hobbie, Jack Melvin
Air Force Captain

Jack Melvin Hobbie, age 26, from San Francisco, California, San Francisco county.

Spouse: Justine

Service era: Korea
Schools: Johnson City High (1942)
Military history: Servied in World War II and survived imprisonment by Japanese.

Date of death: Friday, June 1, 1951
Death details: On June 1, 1951, a B-29A Superfortress (tail number 44-86327) carrying thirteen crew members took off from Yokota Air Base, Japan, as one of eleven aircraft in the first of three flights on a bombing mission against enemy railroad bridges in the Kwakson area of North Korea. While in the target area, the formation’s fighter escort began running low on fuel and departed to refuel. During the escort’s absence, this Superfortress came under attack by enemy MiG-15 fighters. When the escort fighters returned they attempted to fight off the MiGs; however, this Superfortress had already sustained severe damage. The damaged bomber attempted to fly towards the sea, but exploded and crashed northwest of Pyongyang. Prior to the crash, four parachutes were observed leaving the aircraft. The loss occurred behind enemy lines, precluding a ground search for survivors. Of the thirteen crew members, three were captured and eventually released into U.S. custody, and three bodies were found by the enemy, buried, and returned after the war. The other seven crew members remain unaccounted for. Captain Jack Melvin Hobbie, who joined the U.S. Army Air Force from California, served with the 343rd Bombardment Squadron, 98th Bombardment Wing. He was the bombardier aboard the Superfortress when it crashed, and his remains were not recovered. Today, Captain Hobbie is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Binghamton Press and Sun Belletin (1954)