Memorial

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Kenneth W. Gorsuch graduated from Carthage High School in 1932. He also graduated from Cumberland Law School in Lebanon, Tennessee. He had been an announcer at the WMBH radio station and an announcer and program director at a station in Oklahoma City.

He volunteered for the Army of the Unite States in Santa Fe, New Mexico on 10 June 1942.

He was awarded the Silver Star Medal for the rescue of a fellow crew member on 19 May 1943. A German shell had knocked out the oxygen supply. One member of the crew was killed in attempting to bail out and Gorsuch and three other crewmen collapsed from lack of oxygen at 26,000 feet. Later regaining consciousness, Gorsuch allowed himself to be lowered head first through the escape door of the plane to tie a rope around the waist of Sgt Louis Baker who had tried to bail out but caught his parachute harness on the door.
Surviving crew member reports are not clear as to whether S/Sgt Gorsuch bailed out or not when the abandon ship order was given. He was last seen, out of the ball turret, near the escape door in the waist section of the aircraft. He was the only crew member who was killed. The remaining nine crew members bailed out safely and were taken prisoner.