Robert James Gibbs
Military ROLL OF HONOUR390th BG - 568th BS - 8th AF
Standing Left to Right: Frank C. Bobrowicz (RO), William L. Walker (FE), Alec Gwazdosky (WG), Robert J. Gibbs (WG), James T. O'Brien (TG), Daniel J. Miller (BTG)
Kneeling Left to Right: Morris F. Swavel (P), Wilmer R. Goldfinger (CP), George Pietrucha (N), John Phelan (B)
Robert Gibbs was Right Waist gunner on board B-17 #42-39819, hit by Flak on return from the 13 April 1944 mission to Augsburg, Germany. Ditched in the Channel/North Sea, about 18km West of the entrance to the port of Ostend, Belgium. Killed In Action (KIA). On 8 May 1944, his body was found in Ostend, Belgium and he was buried the next day at the English Military Cemetery in Koksijde. His remains were later transferred to the Ardennes American Cemetery in Neupré, Belgium.
Connections
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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
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32686782
- Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-693672
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 6149248
- Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
- Role/Job: Flight Engineer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-807918
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32829895
- Highest Rank: Technician Fourth Grade
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Hells Bells
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Tis A Mystery
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Rovin’ romona ii/big friend
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Anoxia Queen
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 13 April 1944
- Date: 12 April 1944
- Date: 11 April 1944
- Date: 10 April 1944
- Date: 8 April 1944
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Parham
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Waterville, Maine, USA | 14 May 1924 | |
Enlisted |
Portland, ME | 4 December 1942 | |
Other Killed in Action (KIA) |
English Channel, approx. 12 miles off the coast of Ostend, Belgium | 13 April 1944 | in the crash of B-17 #42-39819 in the Channel, about 15km West of the entrance to the port of Ostend, Belgium |
Other Body Recovered |
Ostend, Belgium | 8 May 1944 | his body floated ashore in Ostend, Belgium |
Buried |
Koksijde, Belgium | 9 May 1944 | at the English Military Cemetery in Koksijde, Belgium |
Waterville, ME | Kennebec County, Maine | ||
Buried |
Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial | Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial Neuville-en-Condroz, Arrondissement de Liège, Liège, Belgium Plot D Row 3 Grave 2 |
Revisions
Updated Middle Name & a Born event per info in the Fields of Honor Database.
SOURCE: https://www.fieldsofhonor-database.com/index.php/en/american-war-cemete…
MACR 3947
NARA WWII Enlistment records
AV 934/44 file ("Amerikaner Vorgaenge") at https://catalog.archives.gov/id/6922023
ABMC website
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 3947 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database