Memorial

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2nd Lt James W. Gaston graduated from North High school and Ohio State University.

He enlisted at Fort Hayes, Columbus, Ohio on 4 February 1941.

At about 4910N 0800E, while the group was somewhat disorganized, off course and flying through heavy cloud formations, a/c 573 was seen to pull up as though in a stall (possibly to avoid a collision), flip over and plunge straight down a considerable distance. It then recovered but almost immediately went into a spin from which it recovered again. Several minutes later it was seen flying about 2,500 feet below the formation, the same heading as the rest of the group, apparently under control, but it never again regained the formation and was lost to sight in the clouds. Several minutes later, at about 4845N 0915E, a crew in the formation reports seeing a B-17 heading toward Switzerland, tossing all loose equipment overboard, apparently under control but losing altitude. This may have been a/c 573, although it disappeared into a cloud bank before positive identification could be made.

Five crew members survived and were taken prisoner, four were killed.

According to a surviving crew member, Lt Gaston was still in the plane when it exploded.