Volusia County, Florida
United States Army
First Lieutenant
France

Bruce E. Bates resided in Volusia County, Florida prior to the war and enlisted in the Army Air Corps on February 28, 1943 in Miami Beach, Florida.  1LT Bruce E. Bates served as a pilot on a B-17G #43-38473, 708th Bomber Squadron, 447th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. 

On Dec. 30, 1944, the B-17G #43-38473 took off from Rattlesden, England on a bombing mission over Mannheim, Germany. Near the target, the airplane lost altitude at the same time the another airplane  gained altitude. They collided with each other in which it was believed to be caused by “prop wash”  The B-17G “Fuddy Duddy” #42-97400 had its fuselage cut in two and went into an uncontrolled spin going into clouds.  The elevators of the #43-38473 were sheared and was last seen out of control disappearing into clouds.  They crashed near Mannheim, Germany and no parachutes were seen to leave either B-17.  However, two crewmen from the “Fuddy Duddy” survived. One was in a civilian hospital and the other  became a POW.  The bodies of the crewmen of both airplanes were recovered shortly after the crash in deep snow and were hidden from German authorities by a priest in Steinbach.  They were given a mass burial and the ceremony was recorded. 

1Lt Bruce Bates was originally interred on December 31, 1944 in the Cemetery in Steinbach, Germany (near Buchen) and was later reinterred at Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial, St. Avold, Lorraine, France.  He was survived by his father, Floyd Bailey Bates of Daytona Beach, and brothers Kent C., Hollis L, and William P. Bates.