Theodore F. Kowalow was born in 1921 in New York. He resided in Erie County, New York prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army on July 21, 1942 in Buffalo, New York. He was noted as being employed as a filer, grinder, buffer, and polisher of metal and also as Single, without dependents. Theodore served as a Sergeant, 427th Night Fighter Squadron, U.S. Army Air Forces and was a passenger on the B-25G aircraft during World War II.

B-25G #41-30010 'Matilda' left on 4 July 1945 from Chengkung, China on an operational mission to Dinjan, India, when it disappeared over The Hump. Weather was reported to be generally good that day. Fifteen men were lost and the cause is unknown. A witness statement was given by Major Edwin J. Witzenburger, who had last contacted the plane by radio. The last position reported was 27/32 N. 95 degrees 16 minutes E, Nine miles south of the Brahmaputra River.

Theodore's name is commemorated on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines. He was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is also commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China but his surname is inscribed as Kowallow.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov