Memorial

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2nd Lt John A. Gifford attendedcollege and was a salesman before he joined the Regular Army in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on 8 July 1942.

Sgt Zedie C. Smathers:
"I was flying in aircraft 709. A call came over the interphone and I looked out and saw AC 914 on fire. The pilot held the ship level but was losing altitude slowly. The tail gunner of AC 914 came out of his escape hatch. Four more chutes came out of the bomb bay, after these five chutes came out, the left wing fell off. The aircraft then went into a spin, and the other wing broke off. After that, the fuselage broke into about 3 pieces, all of them burning. I did not see any more chutes open, but I saw five chutes floating several thousand feet below, about thirty seconds later. I am not sure whether it was the first five chutes or the second five that pulled a delayed jump to prevent burning of their parachutes. That is the last I saw of the AC."