World War II Honoree

Carroll Gant Biggs

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Franklin, Kentucky

Honored By

Marion Biggs McCann

Relationship

Daughter

2ND LIEUTENANT. POW. SHOT DOWN OVER GERMANY. SERVED IN THE 306TH BOMB GROUP, 369TH SQUADRON, 8TH AIR FORCE; EUROPEAN THEATER OUT OF THURLEIGH, ENGLAND. HE AND HIS CREW REPORTED TO THE 369TH SQUADRON APRIL 5, 1944. THEY TRAINED TOGETHER AND WERE TO REMAIN A UNIT UNTIL THE END. HE WAS ON HIS 7TH MISSION INTO GERMANY AS PILOT OF A B-17 BOMBER WHEN TRAGEDY STRUCK ON APRIL 24, 1944. AS PART OF THE HIGH SQUADRON OF THE COMPOSITE GROUP, HIS PLANE, THE 'MISS CARRIAGE,' WAS HIT ON THE 1ST FIGHTER PASS AS 2 GROUPS OF GERMAN PLANES CAME IN. THE PLANE LOST ITS 3RD AND 4TH ENGINES IMMEDIATELY AND FIRE SPREAD OVER THE ENTIRE RIGHT WING. AN INTERNAL OXYGEN FIRE BROKE OUT WHICH THREATENED THE BOMB BAY AND THE BOMBS WERE JETTISONED. THE TOP TURRET AND TAIL GUNS WERE KNOCKED OUT BY ENEMY FIRE AND ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT SHORTED OUT. WITH 3 CREW MEMBERS WOUNDED, HE ORDERED THE OTHERS TO HELP THEM AND PREPARE FOR ALL TO BAIL OUT. HE STUBBORNLY REMAINED WITH THE PLANE THINKING HE COULD MAKE A SAFE LANDING. A DISTINCT VOICE SPOKE TO HIM CALLING HIS NAME AND TOLD HIM TO JUMP. HE OBEYED. AS HIS PARACHUTE OPENED, HIS NEARBY PLANE EXPLODED. HIS PARACHUTE SUSPENDED HIM BETWEEN TWO LARGE PINES SOME DISTANCE OFF THE GROUND. WITH NO WAY TO ESCAPE, HE WAS CAPTURED, TAKEN TO REGENSBURG AND DULAG LUFT FOR PROCESSING. HE WAS INCARCERATED AT STALAG LUFT III IN SAGAN, GERMANY. PARTICIPATED IN A PRISON ESCAPE WHERE HE AND SEVERAL OTHERS WERE SOON ROUNDED UP AFTER HIDING WITH A GERMAN FAMILY WHO FED THEM, TOLD THEM HOW KIND THE AMERICAN RED CROSS WAS BEING TO THEIR SON IN A FLORIDA PRISON CAMP. THE LADIES OF THE FAMILY MENDED AND WASHED THEIR CLOTHES AND DARNED THEIR SOCKS. HE WAS LATER ON A DEATH MARCH. WITNESSED POW AND GERMAN CIVILIANS, INCLUDING WOMEN AND CHILDREN SHOT BY SS TROOPS IN COLD BLOOD IF THEY COULD NOT KEEP UP. HE WAS LIBERATED BY PATTON'S 3RD ARMY GROUP ON APRIL 29TH, 1945.