Memorial

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F/O Gerald W. Milburn was a shipping and receiving clerk before he joined the Army in Louisville, Kentucky, on 9 October 1942.

Statement from Sgt Dan E. Smith.
"I was flying as tail-gunner on aircraft #080, of the 341st Bomb Squadron, when I saw ship 531, losing altitude slowly, and I saw flames coming from between number 1 and 2 engines. I lost track of it when it wasn’t more than a thousand feet below the formation. Then I lost track of it as we were banking, and it was kept underneath our ship."

Statement from T/Sgt. Floyd L. Thompson

"I was ball-turret gunner at the time. We were hit directly over the target by flak, a bit outside of No. 1 engine. As a result, we began burning. Our plane was pretty well under control. I left my turret for the waist, in the meantime we made a 360 degree to come again over the target. During the 360-degree turn, four of our men bailed out. The tail-gunner, radio operator and left waist gunner are the three I can account for. I was watching when they jumped, but the fourth I cannot be sure, but I would say it was F/O Milburn.

"Right waist gunner and I moved back to the tail position, since the escape hatch in that position was loose and the one in the waste was jammed. To get out of the flak, waist gunner and I rode it out. During that time I was on interphone. I tried talking to pilot or co-pilot, but no response. They were rather busy, of course. I could hear them talking pretty steady.

"Then the upper turret gunner left the plane through the bomb-bay. I believe I can be sure of that. All doors from the tail to the pilot’s compartment were open. I could see almost everything going on, and I was watching for what the pilot might do. Then another fellow worked his way to the bomb-bay. I cannot be sure whether it was the co-pilot or the navigator. Would say it was the co-pilot. The pilot who was Lt John J. Cunningham stayed with the plane to the last.

"Then the pilot began working his way toward the bomb-bay, with someone else just in front of him. I found out later that it was the bombardier. While this was going on, I told the right waist gunner to jump. He jumped and I came out right after him. Just as I left, my chute opened, just in time to see the left wing blew off the plane. That was all of the plane. It began to disintegrate.

"The bombardier and I were picked up in almost the same area and I found then that he left the plane just ahead of the bombardier.

"I am yet inclined to believe that the navigator was one of the four that bailed out first. Not any of the crew was wounded when they left the plane. They were not killed in the crash, as these damned Jerries say, because every one of us got out.

"From there I cannot say anymore. That is as much of it as I know. But you can probably figure out what really happened to them. Maybe this makes things only worse, but it is the only way I see it."