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Submit- Full
name
SMITH, Gordon Dupont - Date of
birth
11 September 1911 -
Age
32 -
Place of birth
Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee -
Hometown
Chattanooga, Hamilton County, Tennessee
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
34189564 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Tail Gunner -
Unit
323rd Bombardment Squadron,
91st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
19 July 1944 - Place of
death
Near Huglfing, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Lorraine
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| K | 31 | 38 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Edward M. Smith (father)
Elinor J. (Stickels) Smith (mother)
Jane L. Smith (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-31542 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Bunky
Destination: Lechfeld, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the airfield
MACR: 7417
More information
Sgt Gordon D. Smith was an electrician at Gordon Electric Company before he enlisted at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia on 20 February 1942.Sgt Bartolomeo Zanotto:
Aircraft B-17G 42-107075 and B-17G 42-31542 were last seen just past the I. P. and during the bomb run or about 7 minutes before bombs away. The two aircraft were flying on our right. It appeared that aircraft B-17G 42-107075 got in the prop wash of an aircraft ahead or the aircraft momentarily was out of control for he slipped to his left and his left wing crashed into the right horizontal stabilizer of aircraft B-17G 42-31542. Each aircraft then pulled to the outside, 075 to the right and 542 to the left. At this point the tail section of aircraft 542 broke off at about the main entrance door and rocketed about 200 feet upward, then it went down in a diving spin and went out of sight into clouds. Aircraft 075 went down in a slow fat spin and when last seen appeared to be pulling out of dive and leveling off. He then was last from view in the clouds. No parachutes were seen to come from either of these aircraft.
He had no time to bail out.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / WWII Draft Cards Young Men / Daddy’s Decota Family Tree, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.findagrave.com – Albert Ledoux
Photo source: www.findagrave.com – Laura S / Astrid