Gordon Cyrus Cuneo
Military
466th BG - 785th BS
Standing Left to Right: Lauren Sanborn (B), Gordon Cuneo (N), Arden Mills (CP), Harry Taylor (P)
Sitting Left to Right: Vernal Dupas (BTG), Harry Siders (NG), Byron Wertz (FE/WG), Al Wilson (TTG), Jerome Kryewinski (TG), William Eastman (R/O)
The dog was named "Turbo" 466th Bomb Group collection
466th BG Historian
Object Number - UPL 19037 - Crew #552 - Harry Taylor Crew 466th BG - 785th BS Standing Left to Right: Lauren Sanborn (B), Gordon Cuneo (N), Arden Mills (CP), Harry Taylor...
Gordon Cuneo was a student at the University of California when he enlisted in February 1943. He was Navigator on the Harry W. Taylor Crew #552. He was on board the battle-damaged B-24H #42-95248 "The Falcon" which was forced to crash land at Shipdham on return from the 8 January 1945 mission to bomb communications centers in Germany.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 785th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 785th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 785th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 785th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15131490 at enlistment, then O-xxxxxx ?
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 785th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 11128194 at enlistment, then O-xxxxxx ?
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Bombardier
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: The Falcon
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 785th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 8 January 1945
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Attlebridge Arsenal, Station 120
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Pearl River, NY, USA | 15 January 1924 | the son of Egisto and Ruth M. Cuneo |
|
Enlisted |
6 February 1943 | San Francisco, California | |
|
Other Crash Landing |
Shipdham, Norfolk, UK | 8 January 1945 | Escaped serious injury when is a/c B-24H #42-95248 "The Falcon" crash landed at Shipdham. |
|
Died |
San Rafael, CA, USA | 14 January 2010 | Gordon Cyrus Cuneo Passed away peacefully at home in San Rafael Thursday, January 14, 2010. Born January 15, 1924 in Pearl River, New York Gordon moved with his family to San Francisco in 1930. He has lived the last 50 years in Marin County. In his youth he attended Garfield, Francisco and Galileo High Schools and played basketball with the Salesian Boys Club in North Beach. After serving with the US Army Air Corps as a navigator of B-24's during WWII, he returned to UC Berkeley as a sophomore. While at Cal he was a star basketball player for three years during which time they won a State Championship. Later, while working, he played basketball for the Stewart Chevrolet Team, forerunner of a professional league which eventually led to formation of the current NBA. In 1949, after graduating from UC Berkeley, he married his college sweetheart Ann Curtis, a Gold Medalist in swimming at the 1948 Olympics. Together they acquired land and built the Ann Curtis School of Swimming in San Rafael, now in its 51st year of successful operation. During the years of swim club operation Gordon worked as a Sales Executive with GMAC and thereafter as the General Manager of European Motors, now Mercedes Benz of San Francisco In retirement Gordon enjoyed playing golf and tennis, traveling, and spending time at his Lake Tahoe vacation home. He will be remembered as a humble man of honor and integrity and an incredible family man. Gordon was preceded in death by his son, William, and is survived by his wife Ann Curtis Cuneo, his children Carol "Carrie" Cuneo of San Rafael, Susan Cuneo Starr of Lafayette, California, David Cuneo of Corte Madera and Brian Cuneo of Truckee, his sister Doris Maslach of El Cerrito, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. A memorial celebration for friends and family will be held on Saturday, January 23, at 11:00 AM at the Marin Country Club, 500 Country Club Drive, Novato, California. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sfgate/obituary.aspx?pid=138680982#sthash.i8exuPMC.dpuf |
| San Francisco, CA, USA | 1821 Grant Avenue San Francisco, CA |
Revisions
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Unit roster in the book ATTLEBRIDGE ARSENAL by Wassom and Brassfield, page 344
