Gerald James Carey

Military
media-54858.jpeg UPL 54858 TSGT Gerald J. Carey
Tail Gunner
340th BG - 486th BS - 12th AF

Object Number - UPL 54858 - TSGT Gerald J. Carey Tail Gunner 340th BG - 486th BS - 12th AF

Connections

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Units served with

A B-25 Mitchell (7C) of the 340th Bomb Group, 12th Air Force takes off.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • 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: 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.

Gerald James Carey: Gallery (1 items)