His middle name is Allert, the same as his mother's maiden name. He is most often searched for as. "Jack A. Gates". Jack & Charlie Krauss share a group grave. They were first interred at Neuville-En-Condrez-Belgium and reinterred at Memphis on 4 Oct 1950.
(Jack was married to my mother, Thelma (nee Holt) Gates at the time that he and the crew were KIA during WWII. /s/ Dee Ann)
Army Service No.(ASN): O-663253
Jack A. Gates' Army Service Number (aka "Serial Number").
8th Air Force, 44th Bomb Group. 66th Squadron. He was the bombadier. The crew departed from the air base at Shipdham, England, and had intended to return there. Their primary target in Brenham, Germany, was an industrial area which was hit with a good pattern. The mission was successful. Weather conditions were quite bad in that it was exceptionally cold, which probably contributed to the colision early in the mission. None of the eleven casualties was caused by enemy action on this mission.
November 26, 1943 VIII Mission 138: 350 of 390 B-17's, 77 of 101 B-24's and 13 of 14 B-17 PFF aircraft attack the port area of Bremen at 1145-1228 hours; they claim 16-3-10 Luftwaffe aircraft; 22 B-17's and 3 B-24's are lost; 3 B-17's and 1 B-24 are damaged beyond repair and 139 B-17's, 19 B-24's and 7 PFF B-17's are damaged; casualties are 10 KIA, 35 WIA and 215 MIA. (Source: Wikipedia: Bombing of Bremen in WWII)
Their plane, Mr. 5 X 5, a B-24-Liberator, had been on a bombing run over Germany and were on their way back to England when the plane was caught up in the prop wash of other planes ahead and forced into a collision with #501. The propellers of #501 were cut and sheared off the entire tail section of Mr. 5 X 5, causing it to crash, apparently into the sea. The plane had shrapnel damage from the bombing raid. Members of the crew of the plane in whose prop wash Mr. 5 X 5 was caught observed 6 parachutes coming out of Mr. 5 X 5. However, all members of the crew were Killed in Action that day. All bodies were recovered. Lt. James G. Cary and crew from the 68th Squadron escaped from the collision and returned to base, but only after succeeding in recovering from their spin at an altitude of only 4,000 feet.
Jack & Charlie Krauss share a group grave. They were first interred at Neuville-En-Condrez-Belgium and reinterred at Memphis on 4 Oct 1950.
Other members of that fateful crew were:
TROLESE, ALEXANDER (NMI), pilot, 1st or 2d Lt. (different
reports) (buried in Ardennes (A-36-54)
home: Richmond, CA.
Find A Grave Memorial# 56361348
HARPER, JAMES A. co-pilot, 2d Lt.
home: Ellwood City, PA. burial: Slippery Rock Church
Cemetery, Ellwood City, Lawrence Co., PA, USA
Find A Grave Memorial# 61460145
MARCOUILLER, GORDON L. navigator, 2d Lt. buried Ardennes
(D-13-7) home: Chicago, IL
Find A Grave Memorial# 56359588
GATES, JACK A. Bombadier 2d Lt.
home: Midland, TX & San Antonio, TX
Find A Grave Memorial# 44886650
RAY, THOMAS C. Engineer and & top Turret Gunner
SSgt buried Ardennes (D-18-20) home IL
Find A Grave Memorial# 56360464
KRAUSS, CHARLES "CHARLIE" E. Radio Operator & Gunner TSgt.
(buried now at Memphis National Cemetery with Jack
Gates) home: Springfield, PA
Find A Grave Memorial# 3161707
APPLEDORN, THOMAS J. Belly gunner & ? illegible SSgt.
buried Ardennes (A-23-3) home: Huntington, WV
Find A Grave Memorial# 56356894
MARKUS, EDWARD R. Left Waist Gunner &
Asst. fw gunner SSgt.
buried Ardennes (A-37-15) home: Yonkers, NY
Find A Grave Memorial# 56359602
RAILING, ALTON S. Right Waist Gunner &
Asst. Radio Operator SSgt.
burial: Decatur Cemetery, Decatur, Adams Co., IN
home: Decatur, IN Findagrave memorial # 26725569.
WRIGHT, RAYMOND E. Armarrer & Tail Turret Gunner
SSgt. buried Ardennes (C-15-4) home Cincinnati, Ohio
Find A Grave Memorial# 56361727
The tail art, Mr. 5X5, (refers to Double 5s rolled with dice in craps and is known as "hard 10" (Ten the hard way--ladies delight or women's best friend..
Also, in radio terminology, Americans wanted an actual rating on the volume and clarity of their transmissions. The standard "Loud and Clear" to an American had to be a "Five by Five" or a "Three by three" depending on the reception. (This information is from Daniel L. Stockton)
41-24234B-24 LIBERATOR
Nicknames
'Mr 5 X 5'
Production block number
B-24D-25-CO
Manufacturer
Consolidated
Markings and paint scheme/livery
"Mr. 5 X 5" was a popular song in 1942 when it was featured in two motion pictures (Behind the Eight Ball and Who Done It?). The song describes a heavyset man who is "five feet tall and five feet wide". The original song was based on Jimmy Rushing, a popular jazz musician in the 1930's and 1940's.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nEOeWxlxT0
(Jack was married to my mother, Thelma (nee Holt) Gates at the time that he and the crew were KIA during WWII. /s/ Dee Ann)
Army Service No.(ASN): O-663253
Jack A. Gates' Army Service Number (aka "Serial Number").
8th Air Force, 44th Bomb Group. 66th Squadron. He was the bombadier. The crew departed from the air base at Shipdham, England, and had intended to return there. Their primary target in Brenham, Germany, was an industrial area which was hit with a good pattern. The mission was successful. Weather conditions were quite bad in that it was exceptionally cold, which probably contributed to the colision early in the mission. None of the eleven casualties was caused by enemy action on this mission.
November 26, 1943 VIII Mission 138: 350 of 390 B-17's, 77 of 101 B-24's and 13 of 14 B-17 PFF aircraft attack the port area of Bremen at 1145-1228 hours; they claim 16-3-10 Luftwaffe aircraft; 22 B-17's and 3 B-24's are lost; 3 B-17's and 1 B-24 are damaged beyond repair and 139 B-17's, 19 B-24's and 7 PFF B-17's are damaged; casualties are 10 KIA, 35 WIA and 215 MIA. (Source: Wikipedia: Bombing of Bremen in WWII)
Their plane, Mr. 5 X 5, a B-24-Liberator, had been on a bombing run over Germany and were on their way back to England when the plane was caught up in the prop wash of other planes ahead and forced into a collision with #501. The propellers of #501 were cut and sheared off the entire tail section of Mr. 5 X 5, causing it to crash, apparently into the sea. The plane had shrapnel damage from the bombing raid. Members of the crew of the plane in whose prop wash Mr. 5 X 5 was caught observed 6 parachutes coming out of Mr. 5 X 5. However, all members of the crew were Killed in Action that day. All bodies were recovered. Lt. James G. Cary and crew from the 68th Squadron escaped from the collision and returned to base, but only after succeeding in recovering from their spin at an altitude of only 4,000 feet.
Jack & Charlie Krauss share a group grave. They were first interred at Neuville-En-Condrez-Belgium and reinterred at Memphis on 4 Oct 1950.
Other members of that fateful crew were:
TROLESE, ALEXANDER (NMI), pilot, 1st or 2d Lt. (different
reports) (buried in Ardennes (A-36-54)
home: Richmond, CA.
Find A Grave Memorial# 56361348
HARPER, JAMES A. co-pilot, 2d Lt.
home: Ellwood City, PA. burial: Slippery Rock Church
Cemetery, Ellwood City, Lawrence Co., PA, USA
Find A Grave Memorial# 61460145
MARCOUILLER, GORDON L. navigator, 2d Lt. buried Ardennes
(D-13-7) home: Chicago, IL
Find A Grave Memorial# 56359588
GATES, JACK A. Bombadier 2d Lt.
home: Midland, TX & San Antonio, TX
Find A Grave Memorial# 44886650
RAY, THOMAS C. Engineer and & top Turret Gunner
SSgt buried Ardennes (D-18-20) home IL
Find A Grave Memorial# 56360464
KRAUSS, CHARLES "CHARLIE" E. Radio Operator & Gunner TSgt.
(buried now at Memphis National Cemetery with Jack
Gates) home: Springfield, PA
Find A Grave Memorial# 3161707
APPLEDORN, THOMAS J. Belly gunner & ? illegible SSgt.
buried Ardennes (A-23-3) home: Huntington, WV
Find A Grave Memorial# 56356894
MARKUS, EDWARD R. Left Waist Gunner &
Asst. fw gunner SSgt.
buried Ardennes (A-37-15) home: Yonkers, NY
Find A Grave Memorial# 56359602
RAILING, ALTON S. Right Waist Gunner &
Asst. Radio Operator SSgt.
burial: Decatur Cemetery, Decatur, Adams Co., IN
home: Decatur, IN Findagrave memorial # 26725569.
WRIGHT, RAYMOND E. Armarrer & Tail Turret Gunner
SSgt. buried Ardennes (C-15-4) home Cincinnati, Ohio
Find A Grave Memorial# 56361727
The tail art, Mr. 5X5, (refers to Double 5s rolled with dice in craps and is known as "hard 10" (Ten the hard way--ladies delight or women's best friend..
Also, in radio terminology, Americans wanted an actual rating on the volume and clarity of their transmissions. The standard "Loud and Clear" to an American had to be a "Five by Five" or a "Three by three" depending on the reception. (This information is from Daniel L. Stockton)
41-24234B-24 LIBERATOR
Nicknames
'Mr 5 X 5'
Production block number
B-24D-25-CO
Manufacturer
Consolidated
Markings and paint scheme/livery
"Mr. 5 X 5" was a popular song in 1942 when it was featured in two motion pictures (Behind the Eight Ball and Who Done It?). The song describes a heavyset man who is "five feet tall and five feet wide". The original song was based on Jimmy Rushing, a popular jazz musician in the 1930's and 1940's.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nEOeWxlxT0
His middle name is Allert, the same as his mother's maiden name. He is most often searched for as. "Jack A. Gates". Jack & Charlie Krauss share a group grave. They were first interred at Neuville-En-Condrez-Belgium and reinterred at Memphis on 4 Oct 1950.
(Jack was married to my mother, Thelma (nee Holt) Gates at the time that he and the crew were KIA during WWII. /s/ Dee Ann)
Army Service No.(ASN): O-663253
Jack A. Gates' Army Service Number (aka "Serial Number").
8th Air Force, 44th Bomb Group. 66th Squadron. He was the bombadier. The crew departed from the air base at Shipdham, England, and had intended to return there. Their primary target in Brenham, Germany, was an industrial area which was hit with a good pattern. The mission was successful. Weather conditions were quite bad in that it was exceptionally cold, which probably contributed to the colision early in the mission. None of the eleven casualties was caused by enemy action on this mission.
November 26, 1943 VIII Mission 138: 350 of 390 B-17's, 77 of 101 B-24's and 13 of 14 B-17 PFF aircraft attack the port area of Bremen at 1145-1228 hours; they claim 16-3-10 Luftwaffe aircraft; 22 B-17's and 3 B-24's are lost; 3 B-17's and 1 B-24 are damaged beyond repair and 139 B-17's, 19 B-24's and 7 PFF B-17's are damaged; casualties are 10 KIA, 35 WIA and 215 MIA. (Source: Wikipedia: Bombing of Bremen in WWII)
Their plane, Mr. 5 X 5, a B-24-Liberator, had been on a bombing run over Germany and were on their way back to England when the plane was caught up in the prop wash of other planes ahead and forced into a collision with #501. The propellers of #501 were cut and sheared off the entire tail section of Mr. 5 X 5, causing it to crash, apparently into the sea. The plane had shrapnel damage from the bombing raid. Members of the crew of the plane in whose prop wash Mr. 5 X 5 was caught observed 6 parachutes coming out of Mr. 5 X 5. However, all members of the crew were Killed in Action that day. All bodies were recovered. Lt. James G. Cary and crew from the 68th Squadron escaped from the collision and returned to base, but only after succeeding in recovering from their spin at an altitude of only 4,000 feet.
Jack & Charlie Krauss share a group grave. They were first interred at Neuville-En-Condrez-Belgium and reinterred at Memphis on 4 Oct 1950.
Other members of that fateful crew were:
TROLESE, ALEXANDER (NMI), pilot, 1st or 2d Lt. (different
reports) (buried in Ardennes (A-36-54)
home: Richmond, CA.
Find A Grave Memorial# 56361348
HARPER, JAMES A. co-pilot, 2d Lt.
home: Ellwood City, PA. burial: Slippery Rock Church
Cemetery, Ellwood City, Lawrence Co., PA, USA
Find A Grave Memorial# 61460145
MARCOUILLER, GORDON L. navigator, 2d Lt. buried Ardennes
(D-13-7) home: Chicago, IL
Find A Grave Memorial# 56359588
GATES, JACK A. Bombadier 2d Lt.
home: Midland, TX & San Antonio, TX
Find A Grave Memorial# 44886650
RAY, THOMAS C. Engineer and & top Turret Gunner
SSgt buried Ardennes (D-18-20) home IL
Find A Grave Memorial# 56360464
KRAUSS, CHARLES "CHARLIE" E. Radio Operator & Gunner TSgt.
(buried now at Memphis National Cemetery with Jack
Gates) home: Springfield, PA
Find A Grave Memorial# 3161707
APPLEDORN, THOMAS J. Belly gunner & ? illegible SSgt.
buried Ardennes (A-23-3) home: Huntington, WV
Find A Grave Memorial# 56356894
MARKUS, EDWARD R. Left Waist Gunner &
Asst. fw gunner SSgt.
buried Ardennes (A-37-15) home: Yonkers, NY
Find A Grave Memorial# 56359602
RAILING, ALTON S. Right Waist Gunner &
Asst. Radio Operator SSgt.
burial: Decatur Cemetery, Decatur, Adams Co., IN
home: Decatur, IN Findagrave memorial # 26725569.
WRIGHT, RAYMOND E. Armarrer & Tail Turret Gunner
SSgt. buried Ardennes (C-15-4) home Cincinnati, Ohio
Find A Grave Memorial# 56361727
The tail art, Mr. 5X5, (refers to Double 5s rolled with dice in craps and is known as "hard 10" (Ten the hard way--ladies delight or women's best friend..
Also, in radio terminology, Americans wanted an actual rating on the volume and clarity of their transmissions. The standard "Loud and Clear" to an American had to be a "Five by Five" or a "Three by three" depending on the reception. (This information is from Daniel L. Stockton)
41-24234B-24 LIBERATOR
Nicknames
'Mr 5 X 5'
Production block number
B-24D-25-CO
Manufacturer
Consolidated
Markings and paint scheme/livery
"Mr. 5 X 5" was a popular song in 1942 when it was featured in two motion pictures (Behind the Eight Ball and Who Done It?). The song describes a heavyset man who is "five feet tall and five feet wide". The original song was based on Jimmy Rushing, a popular jazz musician in the 1930's and 1940's.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nEOeWxlxT0
(Jack was married to my mother, Thelma (nee Holt) Gates at the time that he and the crew were KIA during WWII. /s/ Dee Ann)
Army Service No.(ASN): O-663253
Jack A. Gates' Army Service Number (aka "Serial Number").
8th Air Force, 44th Bomb Group. 66th Squadron. He was the bombadier. The crew departed from the air base at Shipdham, England, and had intended to return there. Their primary target in Brenham, Germany, was an industrial area which was hit with a good pattern. The mission was successful. Weather conditions were quite bad in that it was exceptionally cold, which probably contributed to the colision early in the mission. None of the eleven casualties was caused by enemy action on this mission.
November 26, 1943 VIII Mission 138: 350 of 390 B-17's, 77 of 101 B-24's and 13 of 14 B-17 PFF aircraft attack the port area of Bremen at 1145-1228 hours; they claim 16-3-10 Luftwaffe aircraft; 22 B-17's and 3 B-24's are lost; 3 B-17's and 1 B-24 are damaged beyond repair and 139 B-17's, 19 B-24's and 7 PFF B-17's are damaged; casualties are 10 KIA, 35 WIA and 215 MIA. (Source: Wikipedia: Bombing of Bremen in WWII)
Their plane, Mr. 5 X 5, a B-24-Liberator, had been on a bombing run over Germany and were on their way back to England when the plane was caught up in the prop wash of other planes ahead and forced into a collision with #501. The propellers of #501 were cut and sheared off the entire tail section of Mr. 5 X 5, causing it to crash, apparently into the sea. The plane had shrapnel damage from the bombing raid. Members of the crew of the plane in whose prop wash Mr. 5 X 5 was caught observed 6 parachutes coming out of Mr. 5 X 5. However, all members of the crew were Killed in Action that day. All bodies were recovered. Lt. James G. Cary and crew from the 68th Squadron escaped from the collision and returned to base, but only after succeeding in recovering from their spin at an altitude of only 4,000 feet.
Jack & Charlie Krauss share a group grave. They were first interred at Neuville-En-Condrez-Belgium and reinterred at Memphis on 4 Oct 1950.
Other members of that fateful crew were:
TROLESE, ALEXANDER (NMI), pilot, 1st or 2d Lt. (different
reports) (buried in Ardennes (A-36-54)
home: Richmond, CA.
Find A Grave Memorial# 56361348
HARPER, JAMES A. co-pilot, 2d Lt.
home: Ellwood City, PA. burial: Slippery Rock Church
Cemetery, Ellwood City, Lawrence Co., PA, USA
Find A Grave Memorial# 61460145
MARCOUILLER, GORDON L. navigator, 2d Lt. buried Ardennes
(D-13-7) home: Chicago, IL
Find A Grave Memorial# 56359588
GATES, JACK A. Bombadier 2d Lt.
home: Midland, TX & San Antonio, TX
Find A Grave Memorial# 44886650
RAY, THOMAS C. Engineer and & top Turret Gunner
SSgt buried Ardennes (D-18-20) home IL
Find A Grave Memorial# 56360464
KRAUSS, CHARLES "CHARLIE" E. Radio Operator & Gunner TSgt.
(buried now at Memphis National Cemetery with Jack
Gates) home: Springfield, PA
Find A Grave Memorial# 3161707
APPLEDORN, THOMAS J. Belly gunner & ? illegible SSgt.
buried Ardennes (A-23-3) home: Huntington, WV
Find A Grave Memorial# 56356894
MARKUS, EDWARD R. Left Waist Gunner &
Asst. fw gunner SSgt.
buried Ardennes (A-37-15) home: Yonkers, NY
Find A Grave Memorial# 56359602
RAILING, ALTON S. Right Waist Gunner &
Asst. Radio Operator SSgt.
burial: Decatur Cemetery, Decatur, Adams Co., IN
home: Decatur, IN Findagrave memorial # 26725569.
WRIGHT, RAYMOND E. Armarrer & Tail Turret Gunner
SSgt. buried Ardennes (C-15-4) home Cincinnati, Ohio
Find A Grave Memorial# 56361727
The tail art, Mr. 5X5, (refers to Double 5s rolled with dice in craps and is known as "hard 10" (Ten the hard way--ladies delight or women's best friend..
Also, in radio terminology, Americans wanted an actual rating on the volume and clarity of their transmissions. The standard "Loud and Clear" to an American had to be a "Five by Five" or a "Three by three" depending on the reception. (This information is from Daniel L. Stockton)
41-24234B-24 LIBERATOR
Nicknames
'Mr 5 X 5'
Production block number
B-24D-25-CO
Manufacturer
Consolidated
Markings and paint scheme/livery
"Mr. 5 X 5" was a popular song in 1942 when it was featured in two motion pictures (Behind the Eight Ball and Who Done It?). The song describes a heavyset man who is "five feet tall and five feet wide". The original song was based on Jimmy Rushing, a popular jazz musician in the 1930's and 1940's.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nEOeWxlxT0
Inscription
The headstone has a Christian Latin cross and is inscribed, "Jack A. Gates 2d Lt. and Charles E. Krauss, T Sgt, Air Corps, November 26, 1943."
Gravesite Details
2d Lt. Jack A. Gates, Bombadier and T/Sgt. Krauss, Radio Operator, were members of the flight crew of "Mr. 5 X 5", a B-24 on a bombing raid over Bremen, Germany on 11/26/1943. The entire crew was KIA when they collided with another plane.
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