Personnel

CREW



1ST LT JOHN G. GOSSAGE             P POW 3 MAR 44 BERLIN (LNDED IN DENMARK) SEE NOTE

2ND LT BERTRAND D. McNEILL      CP POW 3 MAR 44 BERLIN (LNDED IN DENMARK)  

F/O EDWARD A. WARNER           NAV POW 3 MAR 44 BERLIN (LNDED IN DENMARK)

1ST LT HOWARD G. BALL           BOM POW 3 MAR 44 BERLIN (LNDED IN DENMARK)

T/SGT MICHAEL G. POLANICK     ROG POW 3 MAR 44 BERLIN (LNDED IN DENMARK)

T/SGT ARTHUR A. COOPER         TTE POW 3 MAR 44 BERLIN (LNDED IN DENMARK)

S/SGT THOMAS R. WOODERSON BTG POW 3 MAR 44 BERLIN (LNDED IN DENMARK)

S/SGT JAMES W. GREGG            RWG POW 3 MAR 44 BERLIN (LNDED IN DENMARK)

S/SGT DONALD B. SACKRIDER     LWG POW 3 MAR 44 BERLIN (LNDED IN DENMARK)

S/SGT ARTHUR V.R. CONGROVE   TG POW 3 MAR 44 BERLIN (LNDED IN DENMARK)



      MACR #3025, Microfiche #1023

      A/C #42-38017 "ONE MISSION LULU"

349th Sqdn..

Lt Howard Ball was from the "Original " crew of Donald Oakes and was wounded on 10 Jul 1943 Le Bourget. He had been hospitalized for a considerable peroid.



On 3 Mar 44 this crew was flying in the #2 position of the lead element to the lead squadron. There was a tremendous cloud build up and as the lead element entered the cloud some following ships believed they saw an explosion as if a collision had occured. Later a VHF was heard from Gossage saying he intended to try for Sweden. Acutally, he landed the plane on a Schlewig airfield (Denmark) thinking he was in Sweden. This probably gave the Germans their first intact B-17 which they later operated.



MIke Polanick had gone overseas with the 100th Group ground echelon then volunteered for aerial gunnery; Thomas Wooderson also had been a member of the  ground crew when the 100th went overseas.

POW/KIA notes: Original 100th ground echelon, volunteered for aerial gunnery, Landed in Denmark due to FLAK Damage.



My uncle passed away in 1977.  Here is the pertinent information:DOD - 9/17/1977 in Troy Michigan Oakview Cemetery, Oakland County, Royal Oak, MIPlot: Block D Lot 193 Space 3