Lee Carl Gordon

Military

On 26-Feb-43 while serving as Ball Turret Gunner of B-17F 41-24623, 305BG/365BS the aircraft sustained dmage from AA fire over the target at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. He was able to bail out and was captured. The aircraft was then shot down by German fighters and crashed into the Jadebusen (Jade Bight) just east of Wilhelmshaven Prisoner of War (POW). 'Shorty' as he was called, because he was only 5 feet 2 inches in height, is believed to be the very first American Prisoner of War (POW) to escape a Concentration camp. After capture he switched ID with an Australian Prisoner of War (POW) and got out of the camp and rode freight trains to France where the resistance group helped him get back to the Allied forces. The Prisoner of War (POW) camp was Stalag 7A at Moosburg, Germany. He finally arrived back in England on 27-Feb-44. The Brotherhood of Heroes said this was his third escape attempt and that he was awarded the Silver Star.



POW, Silver Star

A full account of his experiences appears in Vol '86 Can Do Notes.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Unofficial emblem, 305th Bomb Group.

305th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

41-24623

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 305th Bomb Group 365th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Los Angeles, California 8 June 1922

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Moosburg, Germany 26 February 1943 Held at various POW camp locations. Escaped from Stalag 7A, Moosburg, Germany in October 1943 and made his way back to England on 26-Feb-44. E&E Report 424.

Died

14 November 2006

Buried

Suisun City, Solano County, California Rockville Cemetery

Revisions

Date
ContributorHelen
Changes
Sources

Vol '86 305th BGMA Notes

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Corrected a misspelled word in the "Summary biography".

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Updated middle name per Find-a-grave MEMORIAL ID 16672368.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Updated birth & burial info per Find-a-grave MEMORIAL ID 16672368.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Corrected a typo in the "Summary biography".

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Jun-2015. Added service number and POW event per MACR 16054; Added decorations per existing website data Added loss details to Summary Biography and location to POW event per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE; Added Place, Aircraft and Mission connections within existing website data; Added POW date, A/C model number ,unit associations and crew position to Summary Biography.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Roll of Honor, obit notice, MACR 16054, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hey p. 81, The Brotherhood of Heroes by Thom p. 65