Paul M Gidel
Military
"Iowans of the Mighty Eighth", Chapter 22 "Biographies", by Charles D Taylor.
Object Number - UPL 30892 - Staff Sergeant Paul M Gidel, Left Waist Gunner, 492nd Bomb Group.
Paul flew on 13 combat missions before being shot down on 6/18/44 landing in Sweden in B-24 #44-40159 'Battling Boops', Interned (INT). Whilst in internment they were one day flown out by a B-24 which had brought a load of ball bearings to Stockholm - a cargo which was passed on to the Germans- who in exchange allowed a plane load of internees to fly out. In any event he got back to the USA, was discharged in November 1945 and then called back during Korean War. He afterwards returned to farming.
Air Medal with 2 clusters
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
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
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Unit: 492nd Bomb Group 858th Bomb Squadron
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Other Interned |
Sweden | 18 May 1944 | |
|
Born |
Summerville, Massachusetts, USA | ||
| Lake City, IA 51449, USA |
Revisions
Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 6767 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
