Gerald K Miller

Military
media-17752.jpeg UPL 17752 Charles Quirk Crew
458th BG - 755th BS
Standing: Charles Hillis (TTG), Gerald Miller (R/O), Perce Goewey (WG), Tom McQueen (FE), Don Swanson (BTG), Don Pierce (TG)

Kneeling: Dave Jelinek (B), Charles Quirk, (P), George Campbell (CP), Charles F. Gaine (N)

This crew was shot down on their 14th combat mission, 12 July 1944. Hit by flak, they bailed out over Belgium

Object Number - UPL 17752 - Charles Quirk Crew 458th BG - 755th BS Standing: Charles Hillis (TTG), Gerald Miller (R/O), Perce Goewey (WG), Tom McQueen (FE), Don Swanson (BTG),...

Evaded (EVD) Hit by flak and crashed at Harveng on 7/12/44 in B-24 #42100365

His first mission came on D-Day 'It was a fabulous sight to see the invasion forces. It looked like you could jump from one boat to another all the way across the English Channel'. His 16th - and last - was on July 12 1944 over Munich. They lost an engine, then ran out of gas over Belgium and bailed out over a forest near Giviry. Picked up by members of the Resistance, they were first taken to an old castle where they were given other clothes then passed on to various farms where they were fed and sheltered. At one of them two elderly ladies were sheltering five other American fliers - one having been there for an entire year. 'The two ladies baked the best bread I have ever eaten'. Eventually the Germans were driven out and six of the escapees walked up to the Americans arriving in tanks, who at first refused to believe they were Americans. Having no way to send them westward they travelled with the 3rd Armoured Division to the Rhine. After returning to the USA in November 1944 he was assigned to Air Transport Command ferrying the B-25 and B-29 bombers before being discharged in October 1945. He afterwards owned and operated a grocery store with his brother.

Connections

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Units served with

Personnel of the 458th Bomb Group gather around a B-24 Liberator (serial number 41-29303) nicknamed "Liberty Lib" in order to transfer a casualty into a waiting ambulance. Image via Harry Holmes. Written on slide casing: '458th BG.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 755th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-812653
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Lorelei
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 753rd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Rough Riders
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 755th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Wolfgang
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron 755th Bomb Squadron
A B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-95183) nicknamed "Briney Marlin" of the 458th Bomb Group flies low over countryside.
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Briney Marlin
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 755th Bomb Squadron

Places

Aerial photograph of Attlebridge airfield, looking north, the fuel store and a T2 hangar are in the upper centre, 31 January 1946. Photograph taken by No. 90 Squadron, sortie number RAF/3G/TUD/UK/51. English Heritage (RAF Photography).
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Attlebridge Arsenal, Station 120

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Iowa, USA 4 March 1920

Enlisted

Herrold, IA 50109, USA 23 January 1943 Camp Dodge

Other

Bailed Out/Evaded

Harveng, 7022 Mons, Belgium 12 July 1944 http://www.458bg.com/Crews/Quirk/EE1695_Miller.pdf
Des Moines, IA, USA 6406 SW 13th Street

Revisions

Date
ContributorHelen
Changes
Sources

Iowans of the MIghty Eighth

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 6930 / MACR 6930 & Page 279 of the book LIBERATORS OVER NORWICH by Mackay, Bailry & Scorza, 2010, D790G4582010 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Gerald K Miller: Gallery (6 items)