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Personal info

Full name
GEMBORSKI, John Jacob
Date of birth
17 November 1919
Age
24
Place of birth
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Hometown
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois

Military service

Service number
36608853
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Left Waist Gunner
Unit
368th Bombardment Squadron,
306th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Died non-Battle
Date of death
22 April 1944
Place of death
Saint-Remy, east of Chimay, Belgium

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
M 4 6

Immediate family

Members
Walter Gemborski (father)
Sophie Gemborski (mother)
Chester Gemborski (brother)
Raymond J. Gemborski (brother)
Helen Gemborski (wife)

Plane data

Serial number
42-30782
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Rationed Passion
Destination: Halberstadt, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Junkers aviation industry
MACR: 1931

More information

The plane was hit and was damaged at the leading edge of the right wing and had 20mm holes in the nose and at the base of the vertical stabilizer.

Eight crew members bailed out at 18,000 feet , two were killed.

The aircraft didn´t explode while striking the ground. It was broken into two parts and spread out considerably.

Three crew members, Orian G. Owens, Charles A. Nichols and John J. Gemborski were being helped by the Belgian resistance and were captured near Charleroi, Belgium. After interrogation they were executed in a forest near St. Remy, Belgium on 22 April 1944, along with other American aviators and two resistance fighters. A memorial to their memory was erected in 1999.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census / U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil

Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet, www.ancestry.com - Susan Vonessen, www.306bg.com