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| Chinese Air Force AVG 2nd Squadron  USN 1941  J. Taylan Sept 7, 2012 |
Pilot John Van Kuren "Scarsdale Jack" Newkirk (MIA / KIA, BR) Scarsdale, NY Crashed March 24, 1942 Aircraft History Built by Curtiss in Buffalo, New York. Manufacture number 15968. Delivered as P-40B Warhawk. Originally intended for the Royal Air Force (RAF) with serial number AM515. Disassembled and shipped overseas and reassembled in China. Wartime History Delivered to the Nationalist Chinese Air Force (ROCAF) serial number P-8196. Assigned to the American Volunteer Group (AVG) "Flying Tigers", 2nd Squadron "Panda Bears" with fuselage number 34. No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On March 24, 1942 in the morning took off piloted by John Van Kuren "Scarsdale" Newkirk leading the formation of four P-40s from the 2nd Squadron on a strafing mission against Chiang Mai, following the main railroad line in search of targets to strafe. Over Lamphun, anti-aircraft guns opened fire. This P-40 was hit while diving and Newkirk was killed in the crash near Lamphun roughly 26 kilometers south of Chiang Mai. When this aircraft failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Also hit by anti-aircraft fire lost was P-40B Warhawk P-8115 pilot William "Mac" McGarry (POW, survived). Wreckage Afterwards, Newkirk was buried at the crash site. Afterwards, the wreckage was collected by Thai people and transported to the Lamphun police station and later to Chiang Mai. Postwar, Newkirk's remains were recovered and transported back to the United States. Memorials On May 11, 1949 interred at the St. James the Less Episcopal Church in Scarsdale, NY at the Newkirk family plot, reads: "John Van Kuren Newkirk, Squadron Leader, American Volunteer Group, Born October 15, 1913, "Until I have done all in my power I shall not return", Killed In Action over Thailand, March 24, 1942" Newkirk is also memorialized on the AVG Memorial at Chiang Mai Foreign Cemetery with his name on a black pedestal in English and Thai "Those who defeated the Japanese in Burma, Thailand and China... Jack Newkirk". Newkirk has a bust in China atop a pedestal that reads in Chinese and English: "John Newkirk (? –1942) A member of the AVG Flying Tigers. With a dozen of victories [sic seven victories], he was awarded the Order of Blue Sky and White Sun Medal and Distinguished Flying Cross of the US. On March 24, 1942, he died in the attack at a Japanese fleet [sic rail road] near Chaing Mai in Thailand." References Flying Tigers: Claire Chennault and His American Volunteers, 1941-1942 (2016) by Dan Ford includes this loss Warbird Forum - Jack Newkirk killed in Thailand, March 1942 (photos) Warbird Forum - Jack Newkirk crash site (photomap) Warbird Forum - Mac McGarry, Down In Thailand Warbird Forum - Remains by Daniel Ford FindAGrave - ENS John Van Kuren “Scarsdale Jack” Newkirk (photos, grave photo) Rensselaer Magazine Alumni Magazine Spring 2006 "The Road From Rensselaer" by Amber Cleveland pages 30-33 [PDF pages 32-35] Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated March 30, 2024 |
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