Damon Jesse Gause

Damon Jesse Gause (17 June 1915 – 9 March 1944) was an United States Army Air Corps Officer. He was captured and escaped from Bataan, then Corregidor. He served with the Ninth Air Force and flew with the Hell Hawks.

Life and times
Gause was born on 17 June 1915 at Fort Valley in Peach County, Georgia, the son of Duff Adolph Gause (1893–1965) and Jescyne W. Gause (1895–1978). The couple had two additional sons, Wilson A. Gause (1923–2006) and John Winston Gause (1925–2005). On 11 October 1941, Gause married Lillian Ruth Evans Carter (1921–2014) and the couple had one son Damon Lance Gause (1943–2006). He died at the Isle of Wight in England on 9 March 1944 when the plane he was flying crashed. Gause was buried in the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial at Coton, South Cambridgeshire District, Cambridgeshire, England at plot: Plot F Row 3 Grave 85.

Education and training
Gause graduated from the Martin Institute High School. After high school, he attended the University of Georgia. After one year at the University of Georgia, Gause left school to join the United States Coast Guard.

Career
In the US Coast Guard, Gause was assigned to the USCG Cutter Argo (WPC-100) where his main duty was radioman. He joined the Army Air Corps to serve in Panama after three years of service in the Coast Guard. Following a three-year stint in the Army, he went to work in the oil fields in Colombia for the Texaco Oil Company. In 1939, Gause went back to Georgia. He again enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1941 and qualified for flight training at Kelly Field in Texas. Gause completed the training and earned his wings as an aircraft pilot and received a commission as second lieutenant. He returned to Georgia, this time at Savannah, Georgia to serve with the 27th Bombardment Group. He trained on A-24 Banshee dive-bombers.

Operation PLUM

 * The Philippines. Gause, 2nd Lieutenant, 17th Squadron, 27th Bombardment Group, in the Philippines.
 * The Great Escape of Major Gause.

Australia

 * Safe Again in Australia.

England
On 13 February 1944, 1st Lieutenant Harold B. Johnston took off from Gosfield, England in a P-47 Thunderbolt for a test flight, and died when his plane crashed only nine days before the first combat mission of the Hell Hawks and the P-47s. The Hell Hawks were part of the Ninth Air Force. The combat mission occurred on 22 February 1944 with several groups taking part in an uneventful run to escort bombers. Colonel Lance Call led one group. Another group was led by Major Rockford V. Gray, with Gause as wingman. Other groups were led by Major Donald E. Hillman and Major William D. Ritchie. In preparation to support the Allied invasion of Europe, the Hell Hawks moved with the 365th Fighter Group to RAF Beaulieu, Hants, England on 5 March 1944. During a test flight on 9 March 1944, Gause was killed when his P-47 crashed near Beaulieu, England.

Awards and decorations

 * Distinguished Service Cross
 * Air Medal
 * American Campaign Medal
 * Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal
 * European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
 * World War II Victory Medal

Accolades and honors

 * In Georgia, U.S. Highway 129 South, also known as the Major Damon Gause Bypass is named in his honor.

Book

 * The War Journal of Major Damon "Rocky" Gause.
 * Voyage into the Wind.