William Francis Gibbons

Military

Assigned to 401BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. Shot down 21-Feb-44 in B-17 42-3073 'Lightning Strikes. ' Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 2463

Awards: AM (OLC), POW, EAME, WWII Victory.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Unofficial emblem of the 91st Bomb Group.

91st Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Clarence R Bateman

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18130916
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner / Flight Engineer

Jack S Bowen

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Master Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner / Waist Gunner

Wilfred P Conlon

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

William O Dolponch

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

Julius Ward Edwards

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Aircraft

Two B-17 Flying Fortresses, including (LL-A, serial number 42-3073), of the 91st Bomb Group, parked at Whitechurch with an RAF Spitfire and an AT-19 Reliant. September 1943. Image via Merle Olmstead. Written on reverse: 'Sept 1943.'

42-3073

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Lightning Strikes
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron

Places

Dulag Luft 12

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
Prisoners of war, including Colonel Hubert Zemke of the 479th Fighter Group at Stalag Luft I.

Stalag Luft I

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft I, Barth, Germany

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Bronx, New York 16 October 1918 BornBronx, New York

Died

5 June 1992

Buried

Maryland Veterans Cemetery-Crownsville Crownsville, Maryland 8 June 1992 InterredMaryland Veterans Cemetery-CrownsvilleCrownsville,  Maryland

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

https://www.fold3.com/image/673741755

https://www.fold3.com/image/28604522/28604554

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/133373049/william-f-gibbons

https://legacy.catalog.archives.gov/id/139424097

Date
ContributorLightningStrikes
Changes
Sources

Gibbons granddaughter

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / son-in-law, Les Adams; MACR 2463