Gilbert N Laible

Military

23 January 1943 on a mission to Lorient, returned to southwest England with only one engine operating. Pilot Castle ordered a bail out. Pilots Castle and Fitzsimmons landed B-17 41-24579 'Thumper' wheels up near Bristol.



Damaged by flak and later attacked by ME109s on a mission to Erkner, Berlin on 8 Mar 1944, B-17G 42-31471 'Doolittle's Destroyers' crashed NW of Magdeburg after the crew bailed out. Prisoner of War.



POW

Connections

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Units served with

Official emblem of the 303rd Bomb Group approved 7 November 1942.

303rd Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24579) of the 365th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group prepares for take off. Handwritten caption on reverse: '30/6/43.'

41-24579

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Thumper
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron

42-31471

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Doolittle's Destroyers
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Prisoner of War

8 March 1944

Born

Fallsbrook, California

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added the words "Possible DUPLICATE" in the nickname field so an admin can check out this person.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "#" to the A/C serial # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 2908, Losses of teh 8th & 9th Air Forces