John Stewart Slack, Jr. (Major) was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on September 1, 1915, but lived most of his life in Shreveport, Louisiana. He was a graduate of Louisiana State University. He entered service in 1940 with the Army Air Corp. He was stationed at Brooks Field, Texas in January 1941, Lubbock Field in February 1942 and Victoria, Kansas in September of 1943. His last assignment in the United States was Walker Field, Kansas.

Assigned to the 462^nd Bomb Group, 768^th Squadron, Major Slack departed on April 13, 1944 and arrived at his assigned base of Piaradoba, India on June 2, 1944. He later flew out of Kiunglai, China.

Major Slack flew on the first B-29 mission on June 5, 1944 to bomb Bangkok, Thailand. Major Slack flew a total of seven bombing missions including targets in Anshan, Manchuria; Yawata, Kyushu (Japan); Shanghai, China; Okayama, Formosa. In all but one of those missions, he led his group and completed all missions.

On January 6, 1945, he was leading a group of 6 aircraft in the final wave of bombers targeting the Omura Aircraft Factory in Omura, Japan on the island of Kyushu when he was attacked by fighters and lost engines 3 and 4. He was able to maintain control with the heroic assistance of airplane 457 flown by Major Mackall. He remained in contact with the other airplanes and the rescue subs. He and his crew stayed aloft for more than 35 minutes. The aircraft wreckage was found by a submarine some time later, but with no evidence of the crew.

He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with one Oak Leaf Cluster and the Air Medal and One Oak Leaf Cluster.