Gerald James Carey
Military
media-54858.jpeg
UPL 54858
TSGT Gerald J. Carey
Tail Gunner
340th BG - 486th BS - 12th AF
Tail Gunner
340th BG - 486th BS - 12th AF
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 340th Bomb Group 486th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-761564
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 340th Bomb Group 486th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 15095168
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
- Role/Job: Radio Operator/Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-25 Mitchell
- Unit: 486th Bomb Group 340th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Advanced Landing Ground Alesanie
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Oswego, NY | 1 September 1921 | Son of John Carey. |
Albany, NY | 14 February 1942 | 1102 State Street Worked for New York Central Railroad | |
Enlisted |
Albany, NY | 4 September 1942 | |
Other Shot Down/Captured |
Ca' di Gial, 39 40032 Camugnano | 3 June 1944 | On June 3, 1944, 18 B-25 Aircraft of the 486th Bomber Squadron; 340th Bomber Group; 57th Bomber Wing, took off from the Alesan Airfield in Corsica. Their target was a railroad bridge located at Lagaro Nord, about 45 km south of Bologna. The mission (#164) was part of “Operation Strangle”, the operation focused on cutting off the enemy from getting supplies to the front-line troops. The mission was a success with bombs hitting the target. One B-25, however was hit by anti-aircraft fire near the target and struggled back to base. B-25 (43-27727) piloted by 1st LT Coleman Sellers with a crew of 5 was hit and had an engine aflame. Sellers was able to level the aircraft so the crew could bail out. Reports indicated either 5 or 6 chutes and a plane that crashed about 25 kms southwest of the target and burst into flames. Of the crew, two evaded the enemy and returned to duty; three where captured, and one died in the crash. The crew of 43-27727 included and their status: 1ST Lt. Coleman Sellers, Pilot - Liberated 2nd Lt. Alfred E Coons, Co-Pilot - POW 2nd Lt. Bradford A. Tupper, Bombardier - POW T/Sgt. John F. McDonough, Armorer/ Gunner - Liberated T/Sgt. Ralph H. Koebcke, Radio Op/ Gunner - KIA S/Sgt. Gerald J. Carey, Tail Gunner - POW The local Italian community placed a plaque at the crash site remembering the sacrifice of the crew. The point of impact is still visible today. |
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Zagan, Poland | 15 June 1944 | Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft III |
Died |
Millville, NJ | 24 November 1996 | Gerald Carey was born on September 1, 1921 in New York but lived most of his life in New Jersey. On June 3, 1944 while serving as the Tail Gunner on B-25 (43-27727) 486th Bomber Squadron; 340th Bomber Group; 57th Bomber Wing he on an 18-plane mission to bomb the railroad bridge at Lagaro Nord, south of Bologna – Carey’s 27th mission. His plane was shot down by antiaircraft fire and Carey was captured upon parachuting to the ground. He spent the rest of the War in POX Camp Stalag Luft III (7A). The local Italian community placed a plaque to remember the crew of B-25 (43-27727) at the location where the plane crashed. CAREY’S LOCAL 1996 OBITUARY: GERALD J. CAREY, 75, of Millville, died Sunday at home. Mr. Carey was a machinist at Foster Forbes in Millville. Mr. Carey served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II and was a prisoner of war for nearly a year. He was a member of the Millville Army Air Field Museum, National American Ex-prisoners of War Association, Former Prisoners of Stalag Luft III Association and VFW Post No. 580. He was a past commander of the American Ex-prisoners of War, Garden State Chapter No. 2. Mr. Carey also was a member of St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church and enjoyed hunting. Born in Oswego, N.Y., Mr. Carey was an area (Millville, NJ)resident most of his life. |
Buried |
Holy Cross Cemetery Millville, Cumberland County, NJ, | 27 November 1996 | Holy Cross Cemetery Millville, Cumberland County, New Jersey, USA |
Based |
Alesan Airfield | 3 June 1944 | Assigned to 340BS, 486BG, 12AF USAAF. |
Revisions
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources
https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/304139591:2238?tid=&p…
https://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/monument_details.php?SiteID=1364&Me…
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95672252/gerald-j-carey
https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=8939&h=3829140…
https://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/people_details.php?PeopleID=24028