Mattias Eneqvist
The island of Gotland, north of Berlin
In August of last year when I first began to search for information about the Liberty Lady, I did a hard google (“Liberty Lady”) and was amazed to find a post on forum.armyairforces.com (of which I am now a member!) from 2006 by Mattias from Sweden who was looking for information about the Liberty Lady, a B-17 that “went down on a island in baltic sea, Gotland …” I immediately emailed Mattias, and asked, “What was your purpose for doing the research? Did you know anyone on the flight?”
Mattias is a technician with the Swedish Air Force. His grandfather was a homeguard on Gotland who helped the crew and kept a eye on the Liberty Lady. Mattias was doing research for school on this and other aircraft that bellylanded on Gotland during the war.
We have been corresponding ever since, and Mattias has sent me information I never would have been able to get otherwise.
Thank you, Mattias … you inspired me to forge ahead. Perhaps one day we will be able to tour Gotland together!
I found this photo of Gotland from the air. More or less what it looked like to Herman and the crew…
It is amazing that they found dry land at all! THANKS!
I think this is the spot in Gotland where they crashed (Mastermyr)