John George Gossage

Military
media-38263.jpeg UPL 38263 Gossage crew

Personal records

Object Number - UPL 38263 - Gossage crew

Shot down 24 September 1943 on a practice flight in B-17 #42-30259 'Damifino II'. Plane ditched in the North Sea. 5 Killed In Action; 5 rescued, Gossage among them - Missing Air Crew Report MACR 778. On a mission November 5, 1943 to Gelsenkirchen on B-17 42-30088 'Squawkin' Hawk II', pilot William R. Flesh ordered a bail out after plane suffered severe bomb damage. 8 men jumped, but pilot Flesh and Co-Pilot John G. Gossage were able to regain control and landed at the RAF base at Tangmere, Kent. Four men were made made prisoner. Radio Operator Conner Brewster was killed when his parachute didn't open. Three other crew members managed to evade with the help of the Belgian Comète evasion network. MACR 15553.

Gossage was Pilot of B-17G #42-38017, hit by flak on a mission to Berlin 3 March 1944. Had to make an emergency landing at the Schleswig Land Luftwaffe air base, Germany. All 10 men on board were Prisoners of War (POW). MACR 3025.

Connections

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Units served with

Three airmen of the 100th Bomb Group, Lieutenant Kenneth Menzie, Lieutenant Donald Strout and Lieutenant Norman Scott, plan the route they will take during the next mission in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30380). Image stamped on reverse: 'Reviewed and passed U.S. Army 23 Aug 1943 Press Censor E.T.O. U.S.A.' [stamp]'. Passed for publication 23 August 1943 INTLD 16 General Section Press Censorship Bureau '[stamp], 'Associated Press' [stamp] and '280035.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reve

100th Bomb Group

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

People

Bruce Eldon Alshouse

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 349th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 17051757
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Howard G Ball

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 349th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Conner Daniel Brewster

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 349th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 34201968
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator / Gunner

Arthur Vr Congrove

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 349th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Arthur A Cooper

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 349th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19061757
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner

Aircraft

A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30088) nicknamed "Squawkin' Hawk I" of the 100th Bomb Group, signed by personnel. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Thorpe Abbott. Home 17/5/44. 100th Bomb Group.' Printed caption on reverse: '53312AC - Proud Veteran Goes Home ... With hundreds of autographs on its sleek hull, the war-weary veteran Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress "Squawkin' Hawk I" is shown shortly before it took off from its 8th AAF bases in England to return to the U.S. for retirement. Covering 47,720

42-30088

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Squawkin Hawk II

42-30259

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Damifino ii
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 349th Bomb Squadron
A B-17 Flying Fortress (XR-O, serial number 42-38017) of the 349th Bomb Squadron, 100th Bomb Group, after a forced landing at Schleswig airfield, Sweden. Handwritten in German on reverse of print: 'Eine in Schleswig zur landung gezwungen B-17 1943.' (Translation: 'A forced landing in Schleswig, B-17 1943.' ) Second handwritten caption: '3/3/44.'

42-38017

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: One mission lulu
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 349th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Providence, Rhode Island, USA 13 May 1917 the son of George O. and Margaret M. Gossage

Enlisted

12 March 1942 as a Private in the Air Corps, in Providence, Rhode Island

Other

rescued after ditching

24 September 1943 flying on a practice flight, B-17 42-30259 was intercepted by German fighters and was shot down in the North Sea. Gossage and four others were rescued, the five others drowned.

Other

brought Fortress back to England

5 November 1943 together with his Pilot William R. Flesh, after 42-30088 had been damaged and the order to bail out had been given. Eight men jumped but Flesh and Gossage regained control of the plane and brought it back to England, landing at the RAF base at Tangmere.

Other

captured

3 March 1944 after emergency landing, Schleswig Land, Germany

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

3 March 1944 Interned at Stalag Luft 1 in Barth Germany. Force-marched to other camps and liberated. NARA WWII POW records : "Returned to Military Control 21 July 1945."

Other

discharged

3 November 1945

Died

22 November 1978 Rhode Island
Warwick, Providence County, Rhode Island

Buried

John Gossage rests at the Rhode Island Veterans National Cemetery in Exeter, Washington County, Rhode Island

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
ChangesChanges to unit associations. Changes to Role of Honour Picture. Changes to Role of Honour Picture
Sources

Added a connection to the 100th BG - see pg. 184 in the book"Flying Fortress" by Edward Jablonski.

Date
Contributorlowbuckbob
ChangesChanges to media associations
Sources

TJDon archives

Date
ContributorED-BB
ChangesChanges to middlename, service number, role, biography, events, person associations, place associations, mission associations and media associations
Sources

MACRs 778, 15553 and 3025
US Census 1930
NARA WWII Enlistment records
NARA WWII POW records
VA Gravesite Locator

Date
ContributorAAM
ChangesAAM ingest
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 3025 / MACR 778 / MACR 778, MACR 3026, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop & Hey pp. 511-2 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

John George Gossage: Gallery (6 items)