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Personal info

Full name
GIBBS, Robert James
Date of birth
14 June 1924
Age
19
Place of birth
Maine
Hometown
Waterville, Kennebec County, Maine

Military service

Service number
11122497
Rank
Sergeant
Function
Right Waist Gunner
Unit
568th Bombardment Squadron,
390th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
13 April 1944
Place of death
North Sea, 11 miles northwest of the port entrance of Ostende, Belgium

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
D 3 24

Immediate family

Members
Frank L. Gibbs (father)
Ethel H. (Bradeen) Gibbs (mother)
George H. Gibbs (brother)
Marion H. Gibbs (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-39819
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Anoxia Queen
Destination: Augsburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Messerschmitt Aviation Industry
MACR: 3947

More information

Sgt Robert J. Gibbs worked in a paper mill before he volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in Portland, Maine, on 4 December 1942.

At about 16.49 hours near Brussels, the plane was hit flak on the return and fell out of formation. It was last seen leaving the enemy coast near Ostende at about 10,000 feet. No parachutes were reported.

The entire crew of 10 was killed.

The body of Theodore R. Lipchitz washed ashore at Oost-Duinkerke, Belgium and was initially buried at the cemetery of this village. He is now buried in New Haven, Connecticut. The body of Wilmer R. Goldinger washed ashore at an unknown location and was initially buried at the Temporary U.S. Military Cemetery of St. André as Unknown X-809. After identification, he was given his final resting place at Normandy Cemetery. Robert Gibbs was interred at the English Memorial Cemetery at Coxyde, Belgium and evacuated to Ardennes Cemetery as Unknown X-5581, where he was permanently interred after identification. The remains of rest of the crew were never recovered.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Astrid van Erp, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Family Tree

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.ancestry.com - Family Tree / Kathleen O'Brien