Thursday, November 18, 2010

The Remains of American Sergeant Timing Gage (or Gage Timing), WWII casualty of the bombing raids over Ploesti, buried in Serbia July 29, 1944

Aleksandra's Note: Courtesy of Mr. Bane Jevtic in Serbia, we have received the following information regarding one American Sergeant Timing Gage, or Gage Timing, who lost his life while returning from the bombing raids over the Ploesti Oil fields on July 28, 1944. An English translation of the report of his wounding and subsequent death follows the photo image of that report produced in the original Serbian cyrillic language. The sergeant was buried in Serbia on July 29, 1944. 

According to Mr. Jevtic, following the recent visit of Lt. Col. Milton Friend of the USAF, (Ret.) to Serbia in October for the Mihailovich rehabilitation hearings, Serbs are coming forward regarding information about where deceased American airmen may be buried who were shot down over Yugoslavia in 1944 and who did not survive their wounds. Mr. Jevtic has stated that he is hopeful that assistance can be provided to surviving family members if they wish to finally retrieve the remains of lost loved ones. 

He also provides a disclaimer about the "Partisan" stamp on the document. The report was contained in a Chetnik's archive that was confiscated by the Yugoslav Partisans and stamped with their "Partisan mark" after the war.

Please contact me if you know the relatives of the deceased Sergeant Timing Gage, or Gage Timing.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Aleksandra Rebic


From Mr. Bane Jevtic: Ovo je jedan ratni dokument. Radi se o američkom pilotu koji je poginuo i sahranjen na trenu niškog sreza. Neka te ne buni partizanski pečat na dokumentu jer je iz zaplenjene četničke arhive i posle rata zaveden pečatom. Ako možeš prevedi Miltonu a ako se pronađe rodbina poginulog mi ćemo preko v.atašea Rajsa u Beogradu uraditi sve potrebno da se ostaci ovog čoveka prenesu ako ima interesa i potrebe. Sad, posle Miltona javljaju se ljudi koji znaju mesta gde su sahranjeni poginuli američki piloti i ako ima interesa možemo pomoći da njihove porodice dođu do njihovih ostataka. Naravno za ovo ne tražimo nikakve nadoknade.

Bane Jevtic





Commission Report

Completed on July 29th 1944 in State Hospital in Soko Banja [Eastern Serbia, in the Nish region] upon bequest case of deceased American aviator Sergeant Timing Gage 50 B.M.G. – A-351213 NO-FIRE-116 or 50 8 80 B.M.G. Timing Gage 50 A-351214 FIRE 020

PRESENT COMMISION MEMBERS:

1/ Medical Captain 1st Class Dr. Bogomir Stojkic

2/ Military investigator-artillery lieutenant in reserve Mihailo Sretenovic, court prentice

3/ Artillery Sergeant Ratko Mirkovic

On July 28th 1944. larger group of American bombers, after finishing bombing raid at Ploesti in Romania, returned to Italy flying over county of Soko Banja.

One four engine bomber type “Boeing 17” was downed near the village of Trubarevac, county of Soko Banja, and the American Air Force sergeant under above mentioned marking bailed out from the plane. While in the air he was wounded in the stomach by a shell and after the first emergency care was administered to him upon his impact on the ground, he was transported to the local hospital where emergency care continued.

Before arriving at the hospital he was in very critical condition: no pulse, his guts were prolapsed thru the wound and he had lost a lot of blood. There was immediate surgical intervention at the hospital. His stomach was opened. His blood vessels were tied, resected outward part of colon which was ripped at several spots, stitched opening at small intestine. But despite the surgical intervention, the named died 2 hours after the operation due to loss of blood.

Military-judicial-doctors Commission confirmed this report and produced the following inventory of the belongings left behind by the deceased Sergeant:

48 – forty-eight American dollars in paper bills

One hand wrist watch for men “Felca”

One golden ring for men with large ruby


One letter addressed to the deceased Sergeant


Marking for his unit identification


Aviator Marking of American Air Force


The clothing of the deceased aviator was torn and tainted with blood and therefore was not included in the inventory list.

The deceased Sergeant was buried on July 29th 1944 at 5 pm at Soko Banja cemetery.

Report finished.

COMMISION MEMBERS:

1/ Medical Captain 1st Class Dr. Bogomir Stojkic, signed

2/ Military investigator-artillery lieutenant in reserve Mihailo Sretenovic, signed

3/ Artillery Sergeant Ratko Mirkovic, signed



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If you would like to get in touch with me, Aleksandra, please feel free to contact me at ravnagora@hotmail.com


*****

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