WASHINGTON –
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced today that U.S. Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Charles W. McCook, 23, killed during World War II, was accounted for on April 17, 2025.
In the summer of 1943, McCook was a member of 22nd Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 341st Bombardment Group (Medium), 10th Air Force during World War II. On Aug. 3, while serving as the Pilot of a B-25C “Mitchell” bomber on a low-altitude bombing raid in Meiktila, Burma, his aircraft crashed. Of the six individuals aboard the aircraft, two survived and were captured by Japanese forces, while the remaining four, including McCook, were killed. His remains were not recovered after the war, and he was declared missing in action.
This is an initial release. The complete accounting of McCook's case will be published once the family receives their full briefing.
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving their country, visit the DPAA website at or on social media at , , , or .