Roll Call Tribute

The Association was notified of this Aggie's passing on 12/14/1965.
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From findagrave.com

Maj Lester Lee Lackey

Birth: Jan. 8, 1930
Hale County
Texas, USA
Death: Dec. 14, 1965
Odes'ka, Ukraine

Lester Lee Lackey was living in Lubbock, Texas when he entered the United States Air Force.

On 14 December, 1965, a U.S. Air Force RB-57F Canberra reconnaissance aircraft of the 7407th Support Squadron at Rhein-Main Air Base, West Germany (on Temporary Duty to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey), was lost over the Black Sea, near Odessa, Ukraine in the former Soviet Union. The pilot, Captain Lester L. Lackey and crew member 1st Lieutenant Robert Yates were both presumed killed in action or captured alive by the Soviets with their ultimate fate being uncertain.

By 1993, investigations indicated that there might not have been any Soviet activity related to this loss. The crew probably perished from an oxygen system failure, since it took over an hour for the aircraft to spiral down from altitude and fall into the Black Sea. After 7 to 8 days spent searching for the aircraft by joint U.S. and Turkish recovery crews following Captain Lackey's disappearance in 1965, only small bits and pieces of aircraft wreckage were ever found.

Portions taken from "Aircraft Downed During the Cold War and Thereafter", by David Lednicer, November 8, 2005


Family links:
Parents:
Moody Lackey (1900 - 1969)
Sophia Elizabeth Roark Lackey (1902 - 1991)

Siblings:
Curtis Wendell Lackey (1930- )
Lester Lee Lackey (1930 - 1965)
Kenton Keith Lackey (1932 - 1962)*
Betty Jean Lackey Holmes (1934 - 2011)*
Jerry Don Lackey (1938 - 2013)*
Sandra Janice Lackey Darby (1940 - 2010)*

*Calculated relationship

Inscription:
Texas, Major, U.S. Air Force

Note: Memorial plaque - the body of the deceased was lost at sea and is not interred at this cemetery

Burial:
Elmwood Memorial Park
Abilene
Taylor County
Texas, USA

Maintained by: JamesBunchJr
Originally Created by: Sherry Hoffman
Record added: Apr 09, 2010
Find A Grave Memorial# 50874423
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From http://www.militaryhallofhonor.com/honoree-record.php?id=218702

Maj Lester L. Lackey

First Name: Lester

Last Name: Lackey

Birthplace: USA

Gender: Male

Branch: Air Force (1947 - present)



Home of Record: Lubbock, TX

Middle Name: L.



Date of Birth:

Date of Death: 14 December 1965

Rank: Major

Years Served:

Lester L. Lackey


Engagements:
• Korean War (1950 - 1953)

Biography:

Major Lackey was a crew member of a RB-57 Canberra reconnaissance aircraft with the U.S. Air Force. On 14 December 1965, while patrolling the airspace during the Korean truce, his aircraft was shot down.

Lackey was awarded the Purple Heart and the National Defense Service Medal and the Korean Defense Service Medal.



Honoree ID: 218702 Created by: MHOH