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name
GIBBS, Charles Dee - Date of
birth
15 April 1916 -
Age
28 -
Place of birth
Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio -
Hometown
Scioto County, Ohio
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
35202527 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Gunner -
Unit
827th Bombardment Squadron,
484th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
10 May 1944 - Place of
death
Wiener Neustadt, Austria
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| C | 39 | 18 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Charles D. Gibbs (father)
Virgie M. Gibbs (mother)
Louis D. Gibbs (brother)
Madeline Gibbs (sister)
Russel Gibbs (brother)
Frank R. Gibbs (brother)
Isabella P. Gibbs (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
41-29531 -
Data
Type: B-24H
Destination: Wiener, Neustadt, Austria
Mission: Bombardement
MACR: 4746
More information
"I am bombardier on Lieutenant Gay's crew flying Able 13 in formation on bombing mission over Austria, May 10, 1944. Lieutenant Howes' crew, flying Baker 21 when hit by flak, was approximately over the IP, Donneskirchen. I saw smoke pouring out of the bomb bay, and the bomb bay doors were closed at the time. This evidently took from 3 to 5 minutes. Lieutenant Howes pulled out of the formation and headed left toward my ship, Able 13. Partway between, he gained a little altitude. Suddenly, the bomb bay burst, and I saw the doors flying out abrest our ship and Able 11. Two men came out with their clothes and parachutes in flames.I saw no one else leave the ship. I followed the ship down, and he was in a sort of flat spin, side-slipping to the right. At approximately 10,000 feet, the ship, still burning, folded up in three pieces. I lost sight of the ship and at about the same time the formation started dropping its bombs on the target, Wiener Neustadt/Nord area."
LOIS F. PACHECO
F/O, Bombardier
Lieutenant Gay's Crew.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com- 1920-1930 Census
Photo source: www.findagrave.com