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Charles S Gordon, bombardier and navigator with the 44th Bomb Group.
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A bomber crew of the 44th Bomb Group with their B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-7507) nicknamed "Heaven Can Wait".
Handwritten on image: 'Back Row: Sam Bowman III (P), James Rossman (CP), Art Young (N), Charles Gordon (B). Front Row: Kenneth Dropek (Flt Engineer), Thomas Gorrey (Gunner), Bernard Greeden (Radio), Patrick Commisa (Ball Turret), Donald Ennis (Tail Gunner), Michael Tarzia (Gunner), HEAVEN CAN WAIT.'
Charles Gordon flew 17 missions as a navigator and 18 as a bombardier with the 44th Bomb Group, flying missions out of Shipdham, England.
He joined the 68th Bomb Squadron on 11 February 1944. Charles initially flew with pilot Sam Bowman but in the course of his tour he flew with at least a dozen different pilots and crews.
On the return from a mission to St Pol/Siracourt, France on 12 March 1944, in B-24 #42-7507 'Heaven Can Wait', it crashed landed at RAF Friston, Sussex and burned. Charles was able to Return to Duty (RTD).
Charles is credited with Me 110, destroyed 7 July 44.
He completed his tour and transferred to 489th on 24 July 1944.
Service
People
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Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs
Joined squad 11 Feb 1944. On the return from a mission to ST Pol/Siracourt, FR on 12 Mar 1944, AC #42-7507 'Heaven Can Wait', crashed landed at RAF Friston, Sussex and burned. RTD. Completed tour 11 July 1944. Trans/12th RCD 16 July 1944.
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Units served with
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Group
The 44th Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 15-January-1942 at McDill Field, Florida and equipped with B-24Cs. The Group moved to Barksdale Field, Louisiana and acted as a training unit for the 90th 93rd and 98th Bomb Groups and flew anti...
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Aircraft
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B-24 Liberator
crashed due to structural failure 21 Apr 1944, 1 mi NE Ringland Hills, England
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Missions
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25 February 1944
On this final operation of BIG WEEK, Day 6, a combined force of 754 heavy bombers from 1st, 2nd and 3rd Air Divisions are despatched to bomb the German aircraft industries at Regensburg, Augsburg, Stuttgart and Furth, Germany. Mission Summary follows:
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2 March 1944
The primary targets for this mission are: the railroad marshalling yards at Frankfurt, Germany; and the German air depot ar Chartres, France. The mission is composed of two entierly separate forces. 327 B-17s from 1st Air Division joined by 154 B-24s...
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3 March 1944
A combined force of 748 heavy bombers are despatched to bomb the primary targets of Berlin, Erkner and Oranienburg, Germany, but weather and dense contrails forced most of the formations to turn back or seek Targets of Opportunity (TOs). 1st Combat...
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5 March 1944
The German airfields at Mont-de-Marsan, Cayeux and Bordeaux/Merginac, France were the primary targets for this mission. Weather and clouds frustrate bombing attempts and formations bomb other secondary targets and targets of last resort. Mission...
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6 March 1944
The industrial areas of Berlin and Genshagen, Germany are the primary targets for this mission. A combined force of 730 heavy bombers are despatched from 1st, 2nd and 3rd Air Divisions. The despatch from 3rd Air Division bombs Targets of Opportunity in...
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9 March 1944
Berlin is once again targeted by this mission as a secondary target. Primary target not listed in source data. All 3 Air Divisions despatch aircraft. There is very little fighter opposition. Mission Summary follows:
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12 March 1944
The industrial areas of St. Pol and Siracourt, France are the primary target fot this mission. A combined force of 52 B-24s from: 44BG; 93BG; and 392BG are despatched. 46 are effective on the primary target and 6 other bomb Targets of Opportunity (TOs)...
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16 March 1944
The two primary targets for this mission are: the industrial areas of Augsburg, Germany and Friedrichshafen, Germany. A combined force of 720 heavy bombers are despatched from 1st, 2nd and 3rd Air Divisions. The bomber gunners of the combined despatch...
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22 March 1944
The German aviation industries at Oraneinburg and Basdorf were the intended primary target for this mission but dense cloud cover prevented the attack on these targets. The secondary target of Berlin, Germany and surrounding Targets of Opportunity (TOs...
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23 March 1944
The industrial areas of Brunswick, Munster, Osnabruck, and Achmer, Germany as well as the airfield at Handorf, Germany become the targets for a force of 768 heavy bombers despatched by all three Air Divisions. The bomber gunner claims on German...
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Associated Place
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Military site : airfield
Shipdham was built in 1941-1942, the first US heavy bomber airfield in the English county of Norfolk. It was a standard design, with T2-type hangars and a domestic site dispersed to the south east. Improvements were carried out to increase the number...
Events
Event |
Location |
Date |
Born |
Massachusetts, USA |
26 July 1921 |
Lived in |
Hampden County, MA, USA |
May 1942 |
Enlisted |
Springfield, MA, USA |
5 May 1942 |
Died |
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20 December 2012 |
Buried |
Elmira, NY, USA |
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