Gaston Meredith Fox
Military
From 401st Bomb Group unit history
Object Number - UPL 41679 - 1st Lt Gaston M. Fox 401BG.
Assigned to 612BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. Shot down 10 April 1944 in B-17 42-31511 'Fool's Luck III. ' Prisoner of War (POW).
"It was acting like a yoyo" said Lt. Fox, pilot on a particularly breathtaking moment in landing his Fort safely after the rudders, elevators and tail had been ruined by flak. He landed his plane on the automatic flight control device.
Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 39193489
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator / Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 38294097
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 34425600
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 33394658
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12098933 / O-685332
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Fools Luck III
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 612th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Benefield
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag Luft I, Barth, Germany
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Clifton Forge, Virginia | 7 February 1921 | Son of Annie R Fox. |
|
Enlisted |
30 September 1939 | ||
|
Other Prisoner of war (POW) |
Barth, Germany | 10 April 1944 | Prisoner of war (POW). Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia 54-12 |
|
Other Baled out POW |
3 miles W of Calais | 10 April 1944 | Shot down 10 April 1944 in B-17 42-31511 'Fool's Luck III. ' Prisoner of War (POW). |
|
Other Discharged USAF |
28 September 1956 | Honourable discharge. | |
|
Died |
21 May 1981 | ||
|
Buried |
Crown Hill Cemetery Albany, GA | 24 May 1981 | Crown Hill Cemetery Albany, Dougherty County, GA |
|
Based |
Deenethorpe | 10 April 1944 | Assigned to 612BS, 401BG, 8AF USAAF. |
Revisions
Added S/N and POW camp information from WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" for clarity.
Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- MACR 3939;
- Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 3939, http://www.401bg.org/Main/History/Members/Details.aspx?ID=25
