John George Gossage
Military
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
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: 100th Bomb Group 349th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17051757
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 349th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- 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
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 349th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 349th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 19061757
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
Aircraft
Missions
- Date: 3 March 1944
- Date: 5 November 1943
- Date: 24 September 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
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
Added a connection to the 100th BG - see pg. 184 in the book"Flying Fortress" by Edward Jablonski.
MACRs 778, 15553 and 3025
US Census 1930
NARA WWII Enlistment records
NARA WWII POW records
VA Gravesite Locator
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
