MACR Number: 2862 Date: 440225 Aircraft Type: B-17
AAF S/N: 42-39841: Group Squadron: 96/339 Pilot: Lupole

Lt. Bateson was the copilot flying a 96th Bomb Group, 339th Bomb Squadron, aircraft on February 25, 1944 when he was shot down. The aircraft tail number was 42-39841 and was named "Wacky Woody". This aircraft was assigned to the commander of the 96th Bomb Group and this was its last flight before it was scheduled to return to the United States. Since the aircraft was the group commander's aircraft, it was equipped with bulletproof glass in the cockpit and would play as a factor in saving Lt. Bateson and his crew. The group was scheduled to fly a bombing run on a Messerschmidt plant in Regensburg, Germany. Lt. Bateson and his crew were shot down in the area of Saarbrücken, Germany by a flight of three (3) Focke-Wolf 190s after suffering flak damage en route to Regensburg.

Lt. Bateson attempted to bailout through the bomb bay doors but there were 500-pound bombs in the way so he was forced to exit the aircraft by way of the navigator's door.

After landing inside the city of Saarbrücken, Lt. Bateson was captured by German civilians and military forces. Lt. Bateson was the only member of the crew to land inside the city. He was sent to Durchgangslager der Luftwaffe (Dulag Luft) for interrogation before being transferred to Stalag Luft 1, Barth Vogelsang Prussia 54-12.

Service

Events

Event	Location	Date
Born	Hopedale, MA, USA	1 November 1917
Town of Hopedale Worcester County Massachusetts, USA
Died	Springfield Hospital, 271 Carew St, Springfield, MA 01104, USA	25 September 2015
Springfield Hospital Springfield Hampden County Massachusetts, USA
Buried	Gate of Heaven 421 Tinkham Rd, Springfield, MA 01129, USA	22 October 2015
Burial: Gate of Heaven Cemetery Springfield Hampden County Massachusetts, USA