James Orland Gibson
MilitaryJames Gibson was Left Waist Gunner on B-17 #42-39840, hit by Flak on the 1 December 1943 mission to Solingen/Leverkusen, Germany. Baled out; aircraft flown back to base. Evaded capture for 10 days before he was arrested. See the story of his evasion and capture at https://www.evasioncomete.be/fgibsonjo.html
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 16066267
- Highest Rank: Corporal
- Role/Job: Ball Turret gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13116815
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 496th Fighter Training Group 1st Scouting Force 385th Fighter Squadron 555th Fighter Training Squadron 613th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13008053 / O-802852
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: 12141782
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Lopin Lobo
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 1 December 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Benefield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
24 December 1919 | Saint-Louis, Missouri, USA | |
Other Baled out |
1 December 1943 | of 42-39840 over Belgium | |
Other Evaded capture |
1 December 1943 - 11 December 1943 | Helped by Belgian citizens and members of the Résistance. Captured. | |
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
11 December 1943 | Stalag Luft 4 | |
Died |
1 March 2002 | Saint-Louis, Missouri, USA | |
Buried |
James Gibson rests at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Saint-Louis, Missouri |
Revisions
Removed Some Punctuation in the "Summary biography" to aid readability.
Capitalized "Waist Gunner" in the "Role/job" field.
Personal research at various sources for his page at https://www.evasioncomete.be/fgibsonjo.html
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / http://www.401bg.org/Main/History/Members/Details.aspx?ID=484