Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
CLAUSEN, Gordon Giles - Date of
birth
19 October 1919 -
Age
25 - Place of
birth
Wisconsin -
Hometown
Dane County, Wisconsin
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
36232625 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Nose Gunner -
Unit
725th Bombardment Squadron,
451st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
11 December 1944 - Place of
death
Vienna, Austria
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Lorraine
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 9 | 53 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Christ Clausen (father)
Emilie E. (Buckow) Clausen (mother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
44-41114 -
Data
Type: B-24J
Nickname: Sassy Lassy
Destination: Vienna, Austria
Mission: Bombing of the Matzleinsdorf railroad station
MACR: 10366
More information
S/Sgt Gordon G. Clausen attended 1 year of college before he enlisted in Fort Sheridan, Illinois on 20 January 1942.2nd Lt John K. Lydecker:
"Aircraft Number 44-41114, piloted by 2nd Lt Lyle L. Jensen. This ship was flying number two position. Shortly after we released our bombs, he appeared to receive a direct flak hit in the bomb bay. The bomb bay then burst into flame and about five or six seconds later, the ship exploded. No parachutes were seen to emerge from the aircraft either before or after the explosion."
2nd Lt Horacio N. Corona:
"My bombardier F/O Paul E. Strippgen told me while in prison camp that he had seen S/Sgt Clausen get out of his turret and prepare to bail out. But he claims he never saw him bailout. The Germans mentioned that nine of my crew members were dead."
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov – WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / Evangelical Lutheran Church Records, www.fold3.com, http://aircrewremembered.com/USAAFCombatOperations/Dec.44.html
Photo source: -