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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Mr. James L. Gastineau

USAAF 2nd Lt. WILTON E. GEASE and 2nd Lt. LUCIEN O. GASTINEAU were the pilot and copilot respectively of a 379th bomb group B-17 bomber from the 525th squadron, that on the mission of 24 May 1944 had just completed their bomb run on nazi gestapo headquarters in Berlin Germany when, after leaving the target and beginning the turn to return to England, a B-17 from the 379th Bomb Group in the formation above theirs was hit by a direct hit through the right wing by flak and left the formation out of control. The aircraft collided with the B-17 that Lt Gease and Lt Gastineau were on, and as a result of the collision, both aircraft crashed at MELCHOW, Germany. Lt. WILTON GEASE was the sole survivor of both B-17 crews, and was a pow of the Germans until the end of the war. This was the 25th and final mission for Lt GEASE and Lt GASTINEAU before-they were to rotate back to the United States upon the completion of their tour of duty.