Rein, Charles M.
Air Force 1st lieutenant

Charles M. Rein from Pennsylvania, Greene county.

Service era: Korea

Date of death: August 25, 1951
Death details:  Late in the evening on August 25, 1951, a B-26B Invader (tail number 44-34580) departed Pusan East Air Base, Korea, carrying four crew members. The briefed mission was a night armed reconnaissance operation over a main enemy supply route between Peakchow and Chaeryong, North Korea. The last radio communication with this aircraft was a routine report with to the tactical air control station near Seoul (call sign Snowflake). The first indication of concern was when the Invader failed to return to base. Once it was determined, that the aircraft was overdue, Air-Sea Rescue was notified and extensive search for signs of the crash site was conducted both over land and water. All search efforts were unsuccessful.

First Lieutenant Charles M. Rein entered the U.S. Air Force from Pennsylvania and was assigned to the 728th Bombardment Squadron, 452nd Bombardment Wing (Light). He was the navigator aboard this Invader when it was lost. No returning POWs mentioned contact with 1st Lt Rein, nor was he seen at any known holding point, interrogation center, hospital, or permanent POW camp. He remains unaccounted-for. Today, First Lieutenant Rein is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Source: National Archives, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency