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Personal info

Full name
GASKIN, Carthel Owen
Date of birth
5 September 1921
Age
22
Place of birth
Fruit Hill, Christian County, Kentucky
Hometown
Dayton, Montgomery County, Kentucky

Military service

Service number
O-706840
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Bombardier
Unit
360th Bombardment Squadron,
303rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
22 June 1944
Place of death
Tressin, 8 km east of Lille, France

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
A 13 10

Immediate family

Members
Owen E. Gaskin (father)
Nettie Gaskin (mother)
Francis Gaskin (brother)
Delmar D. Gaskin (brother)
Rosetta Gaskin (sister)
Winnie Gaskin (sister)
Olus Gaskin (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-31432
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Old Glory
Destination: Lille, France
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 6541

More information

Carthel O. Gaskin volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States at Fort Thomas Newport, Kentucky on 12 September 1942.

The airplane received a direct hit from flak, just after bombs away. It was hit just back of #3 engine, probably in the gas tank. Immediately it burst into flames, spun off to the right and went down. Both wings snapped off as it went down.

Only T/Sgt Robert H. Johnson bailed out could and evaded capture. The remaining eight crew members were killed in the crash. They were initially buried at the village cemetery of Tressin on 23 June 1944.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, www.303rdbg.com, WWIImemorial, Footnote

Photo source: www.303rdbg.com, Arie-Jan van Hees - Bomb 44-01 Midland AAF Texas