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name
GAMMONS, Marvin Eugene - Date of
birth
20 January 1925 -
Age
19 - Place of
birth
Trousdale County, Tennessee -
Hometown
Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
34729753 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Ball Turret Gunner -
Unit
527th Bombardment Squadron,
379th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
24 August 1944 - Place of
death
Burgstaden, 5 km west of Merseburg, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| O | 22 | 1 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Samuel B. Gammons (father)
Lucy V. (Scruggs) Gammons (mother)
Robert Gammons (brother)
James W. Gammons (brother)
Georgia M. Gammons (sister)
Bessie Gammons (sister)
Ruby G. Gammons (sister)
Samuel H. Gammons (brother)
George W. Gammons (brother)
Lura F. Gammons (sister)
Ruby I. Gammons (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
44-6004 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Ronny Boy
Destination: Merseburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Leuna oil refinery
MACR: 8284
More information
S/Sgt Marvin E. Gammons was a graduate of East High School and worked for the General Shoe Corporation.He enlisted at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia on 10 April 1943 and received his training at Lowry Field, Colorado and received his gunners wings at Tyndall Field, Florida on 19 January 1944. He was sent overseas in May 1944.
Over the target, the airplane was hit by flak midships, causing the bomb bay and the right wing to start burning. It went into a spin before it crashed. Seven crew members could bail out and were taken prisoner, three were killed. Their bodies were found in or near the wreckage.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.fold3.com, www.ancestry.com - Family Trees - WWII Army Enlistment Records, www.newspapers.com - The Tennessean
Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet, www.newspapers.com - The Tennessean,
http://www.airborneinnormandy.com/ronnyboy.htm