Thomas Harold GOSSETT

Source : Andy

Source : Andy

B-17 Fortress - type G-80-BO - s/n 43-37941 Red-Tip 

Macr: 8857

Mission:  Gustavburg (All) - Objectif secondaire

After crossing the French coast on the way, collision with B17 43-38184  at 11:59

The place of the collision would have occurred at the level of Les Anthieux-sur-Calonne (4917N 0018W) at 18000 feet

Airplane partly evacuated by parachute

Take-off station 134 Eye, Suffolk UK

Map of Normandy American Cemetery

Source : Andy

Source : Andy

Testimony of an inhabitant of Dives

"At the beginning of September 1944, there were planes coming back from bombing Germany. They were flying one above the other, there was an air hole and one of them fell and he hit the one below. The planes, one or two, well at least one fell. It was around 12 o'clock. We saw the pieces fall. There was an American pilot whose name I still remember, Pulver Francis who was 36 years old who fell in a garden in the cottage divais. Obviously he was screaming, I was not there, it's the people who were telling, he was asking to die so much that he was in pain. Another piece had fallen in Cabourg just in front of the sidewalk that leads to the road to Franceville, on the sidewalk in front of the church.We went to see of course ...

We went to the burial of this poor pilot which took place in the church of Dives sur Mer two days later, there was a considerable crowd. It was a tragic news item. One of the airmen fell on the beach, he was rescued but he was in a minefield, he had to wait for high tide so that he could be picked up. He told his story all his life, they had done Japan with that plane, they had been in all corners of the world, they had escaped DCA and all that. For a hole in the wall, he had lost his friends, he was all alone ... "

Ladives1944.com

Source : Andy

Crew of B-17 Fortress - type G-75-BO - s/n 43-37941 W8*? Red Tip

"Miss Ana Bortion"