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Personal info

Full name
GILBREATH, Ray "Buck"
Date of birth
1 September 1921
Age
22
Place of birth
Clinton, Anderson County, Tennessee
Hometown
Clinton, Anderson County, Tennessee

Military service

Service number
O-743441
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Co-Pilot
Unit
733rd Bombardment Squadron,
453rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
6 March 1944
Place of death
Near Plantlünne-Lünne, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Frank Gilbreath (father)
Willie H. (Rosier) Gilbreath (mother)
Mildred Gilbreath (sister)
Boyd M. Gilbreath (brother)
William O. Gilbreath (brother)
Betty Lou Gilbreath (sister)
Mary F. (Sharp) Gilbreath (wife)
Pamela Rhea Gilbreath (daughter)

Plane data

Serial number
42-64460
Data
Type: B-24H
Nickname: Shack Rabbit
Destination: Genshagen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Daimler-Benz Motor Works
MACR: 2972

Biography

https://etvma.org/veterans/ray-gilbreath-7368/

More information

Ray Gilbreath graduated from Clinton High School and attended Lincoln Memorial University.

He joined the Artillery of National Guard in Clinton, Tennessee on 24 February 1941 and later transferred to the Air Corps.

The airplane was attacked by German fighters and blew up in mid-air. Only four crew members managed to bail out before the explosion and were taken prisoner. Six men were killed.

Lt Gilbreath is remembered at Woodhaven Memorial Gardens in Claxton, Anderson County, Tennessee with a memorial marker.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, Pamela Kelly (daughter), www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.etvma.org

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Pamela Kelly (daughter) www.etvma.org, Arie-Jan van Hees, Pilot Class Book 43-D, Williams Field, Arizona, www.findagrave.com