MAJOR CHAS. W. LOCKHART
552nd. Bomb Squadron
APO 638 % Postmaster, New York, N.Y.

Dear Lt. Stone:

I am very glad to be able to furnish you with some information about your brother's last mission. I have already written your mother but not in very great detail. I did tell her that in Dearing's case there is not much cause for hope.

"Rocky", as we called him in the squadron, was flying as co-pilot with his regular pilot 1st.Lt. Fred Cox on September 27, 1943. His plane as part of a formation had completed a bombing mission over France. They were on their way home when a burst of flak was seen to explode right under one engine. The plane immediately went down out of control and on fire. No parachutes were seen to open. Fire was in engine only.

Rocky was one of the finest officers in the squadron and a true gentlemen. We all feel the loss of a real friend. I can appreciate how deeply you and your family must feel about Rocky. He gave his life for his country without thought of his own safety. Surely with men like that we cannot fail in our job over here. The rest of us in the Squadron will take that "best of luck" you sent us and carry on.

Sincerely

CHAS. W. LOCKHART
Major, A.C.