Alva Jack Geron
MilitaryOn TDY to 9th AF. Flew as pilot of B-24 42-40611 'Death Dealer on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti raid, returning to Libya with loss of one crew member.
Later on 13 Aug 43 mission to Weiner Neustadt diverted to Switzerland where crew was interned. 'Death Dealer' B24 42-40611 lost an engine near the target and another engine was lost over the target. This was the first US a/c to land in Switzerland. One gunner attempted to escape through Germany and was shot.
Awards: DFC (OLC), AM, WWII Victory, EAME.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 409th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13034557
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 409th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 409th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 409th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Death Dealer
- Unit: 93rd Bomb Group 409th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 1 August 1943
- Official Description:
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Paris, TX, USA | 26 September 1916 | Son of George Edgar and Alva [Jemison] Geron. |
|
Enlisted |
Lubbock, TX | 12 January 1942 | Lubbock, Texas |
|
Other Survived Ploesti |
Ploiești, Romania | 1 August 1943 | Flew as pilot of B-24 42-40611 'Death Dealer on 1st Aug 43 Ploesti raid, returning to Libya with loss of one crew member |
|
Other Interned |
Wil, Switzerland | 13 August 1943 | Pilot on 13 Aug 43 mission to Weiner Neustadt diverted to Switzerland where crew was interned. 'Death Dealer' B24 42-40611 lost an engine near the target and another engine was lost over the target. This was the first US a/c to land in Switzerland. One gunner attempted to escape through Germany and was shot. |
| Fort Worth, Texas | |||
|
Based Assigned |
Benina | 13 August 1943 | Assigned to 409BS, 93BG, 8AF. TDY 9AF. |
|
Buried |
Terry County Memorial Cemetery Brownfield, Terry County TX | Terry County Memorial Cemetery Brownfield, Terry County Texas, USA. | |
|
Died |
Brownfield, TX |
Revisions
'Ploesti' by Dugan & Stewart, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol I by Bishop & Hey p. 232 with picture of plane / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia