Eugene Elmer Girman

Military
media-19042.png UPL 19042 Eugene Elmer Girman, Radio Operator on the 2nd Lt Jack R. Hillary crew

Linked photo to person

Object Number - UPL 19042 - Eugene Elmer Girman, Radio Operator on the 2nd Lt Jack R. Hillary crew

Eugene Girman was Radio Operator on board B-17 42-97291 of 303rd Bomb Group / 359th Bomb Squadron. Lost on the 24 August 1944 mission to the Leuna refinery in Merseburg, Germany. Immediately captured upon landing in parachute. Prisoner Of War (POW). Missing Air Crew Report - MACR 8212.

Shot down by flak and crashed near Burgliebenau, 5km NE of Merseburg. The flak went through the open bomb bay doors and exploded with 38 100 pd bombs in the rack. Gene and the BTG Sgt Neldon Bishop were the only ones to survive. Eugene is shown in a painting that hangs in the National Air & Space Museum in the "Fortresses Under Fire" exhibit. He is the radio man in the "Thunderbird", shown in the painting about the 15 August 1944 mission. Eugene Girman was shot down 9 days later...

Connections

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Units served with

Official emblem of the 303rd Bomb Group approved 7 November 1942.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39918069
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 33313638 (enlisted) / O-765628 (officer)
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-757200
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36557309
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-710315
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Myasis Dragon
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron

Missions

  • Date: 24 August 1944

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Hammond, Indiana 24 July 1923 the son of Stephen and Frances Girman

Enlisted

Indianapolis, Indiana, United States 20 January 1943

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

24 August 1944 Immediately captured. Interned at Stalag 9C, Bad Sulza, Germany. NARA WWII POW records :"Returned to Military control 21 July 1945."

Died

Highland, Lake County, Indiana, United States 3 March 2004

Buried

Gene Girman rests in Section 66, Site 3791

Based

Molesworth
Whiting, Lake County, Indiana, United States

Revisions

Date
Changes
Sources

Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- MACR 8212;
- Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

Associated Media

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

Added photo

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 8212
NARA WWII Enlistment records (corrected ASN : 35582692 instead of 35583692...)
NARA WWII POW records
1940 US Census

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Connected to Place entry for Molesworth.

Date
ContributorAnonymous
Changes
Sources

memorial March 2004

Date
ContributorAnonymous
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Sources

From his daughter

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Mighty Eighth Air Force Heritage Museum Membership List, July 2000 MACR 8212

Eugene Elmer Girman: Gallery (2 items)