Gerald Stephen Sturgis
Military ROLL OF HONOUR
Object Number - UPL 72721 - S/Sgt Gerald S. Sturgis
Assigned to 359BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. Charles G Miller crew. Shot down 23-Nov-42 in B-17 41-24568 'Lady Fairweather' while serving as Ball Turret Gunner. Aircraft was shot down by German fighters and crashed into the sea ne Belle-Ile en Mer, France. Killed in Action (KIA). Participated in 3 operations (1 was aborted) See Biography events.
Awards: AM, PH.
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
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-430181
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Lady Fairweather
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 23 November 1942
- Official Description:
- Date: 22 November 1942
- Official Description:
- Date: 18 November 1942
- Official Description:
Places
- Site type: Cemetery
- Known as: Cambridge American Military Cemetery
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Springfield, Illinois | 5 December 1921 | BornSpringfield, Illinois |
|
Enlisted |
Peoria, Illinois | 25 November 1941 | EnlistedPeoria, Illinois |
|
Other Assigned to Aircraft |
27 July 1942 | Assigned as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 41-24568 "Lady Fairweather", 303BG/358BS at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas. | |
|
Other Arrived at Station |
25 October 1942 | Arrived with B-17F 41-24568 "Lady Fairweather", 303BG/359BS at Molesworth, UK. | |
|
Other Mission #1 SSGT Gerald S. Sturgis, w/B-17F 41-24568, 303BG/359BS |
18 November 1942 | Served as Ball Turret Gunner of B-17F 41-24568 "Lady Fairweather", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK. | |
|
Other Mission #2 SSGT Gerald S. Sturgis, w/B-17F 41-24568, 303BG/359BS - Aborted |
22 November 1942 | Assigned as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 41-24568 "Lady Fairweather", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France but the pilot aborted the mission. No reason stated in Mission Report. RTB OK. | |
|
Died Killed in Action (KIA) |
Off Belle-Ile en Mer, France | 23 November 1942 | Killed when the aircraft was shot down by German fighters and crashed into the sea near Belle-Ile en Mer, France. |
|
Other Mission #3 SSGT Gerald S. Sturgis, w/B-17F 41-24568, 303BG/359BS |
23 November 1942 | Served as Ball Turret Gunner of B-17F 41-24568 "Lady Fairweather", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. Aircraft was shot down by German fighters into the sea. KIA. | |
|
Other Commemorated |
Commemorated on the Wall of the Missing, Cambridge American Cemetery. |
Revisions
Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" for clarity.
Lee Cunningham 6-Dec-2015. Correct crew position in Summary Biography per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Reports of 18/22/23-Nov-42.
Lee Cunningham 6-Dec-2015. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Nov-42.
Lee Cunningham 6-Dec-2015. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, historian, Mission Report of 22-Nov-42.
Lee Cunningham 6-Dec-2015. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, historian, Mission REoprt of 18-Nov-42.
Lee Cunningham 6-Dec-2015. Added arrived at Station per "the B-17 Flying Fortress Story", Roger A. Freman with David Osborne B-17F 41-24568 history summary.
Lee Cunningham 6-Dec-2015. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, hisotorian Arthur E. Reddig crew page.
Lee Cunningham 6-Dec-2015. Added mission participation clause to Summay Biography and made connections to all mission participation per reseacrh of 303BG Mission Reports - 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian.
Lee Cunningham 1-Dec-2014. Edited biography for crash location, added KI A event per MACR 15075; added Commemoration event per American Battle Monument Commission (ABMC) record.
Lee Cunningham 6-Nov-2014. Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) 15075; American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC)
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Roll of Honor, MACR 15075 , Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. One by Bishop and Hey, p. 48
