Missing information?

Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?

Submit

Personal info

Full name
GIBNEY, Hugh Francis Jr
Date of birth
10 January 1916
Age
27
Place of birth
New Haven County, Connecticut
Hometown
Meriden, New Haven County, Connecticut

Military service

Service number
31143859
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Left Waist Gunner/Assistant Radio Operator
Unit
360th Bombardment Squadron,
303rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
2 October 1943
Place of death
North Sea, off the coast of Denmark

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
B 39 23

Immediate family

Members
Hugh F. Gibney (father)
Mary C. (Dunn) Gibney (mother)
James Gibney (brother)
Robert Gibney (brother)
Ethel Gibney (sister)
Edward Gibney (brother)
Arthur Gibney (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-5260
Data
Nickname: Yardbird II
Type: B-17F
Destination: Emden, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the industrial area
MACR: 738

More information

S/Sgt Hugh F. Gibney Jr. was a creditman before he enlisted in Hartford, Connecticut on 15 July 1942.

The aircraft was hit by gunfire from two ME-109's immediately after the formation left the target. The ship peeled off, went down out of control, and exploded above the overcast. One parachute was observed coming out it went out of sight.

In addition to the crew of ten, a photographer, Sgt Carney C. Rhodes Jr., was on board. All were killed. Only the body of Hugh F. Gigney Jr. was recovered when it washed ashore at Esbjerg, whre he was initally buried on 3 December 1942. He is now interred at Ardennes Cemetery.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.footnote.com, 303rdbg.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - B.White Family Tree

Photo source: Jac Engels, www.findagrave.com - SWmsn, 303rd Bomb Group,