Gerald Elza Massie was born on February 9, 1922, in Ellington, Missouri. He was the son of Roy Massie and Blanche Myrene Bell Massie. He was the husband of Virginia May Jeremiah Massie and Melba Eileen Rayfield Massie.

Gerald served in the 339th Bomber Squadron, 96th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Tail Gunner on the B-17 #42-37808 'Special Delivery' during World War II.

On January 5, 1944, his crew took off from Station 138 airfield in Snetterton Heath, England, for a mission to bomb the Bordeaux-Mérignac airfield in France. Shot down by fighters at 11:30 AM, they evacuated their plane by parachute. Their aircraft crashed near Lesparre-Medoc, France. Of the crew, five members were captured by the Germans and taken as prisoners. The five remaining members were able to evade the capture. SSgt Massie was one of the POWs. He was taken to Stalag Luft III Sagan-Silesia Bavaria in Poland.

SSgt Massie died on September 9, 1996, at the age of 74. He is now buried in the Ellington City Cemetery, Ellington, Reynolds County, Missouri, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net