Gibson, Merle Leon, Jr

Individual Personnel Data
Name Gibson, Merle Leon, Jr
⇗
Rank Second Lieutenant / First Lieutenant
Serial Number O-699269
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 544th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per 544th Bomb Squadron Morning report dated 31 July 1944, effective 30 July 1944.
  • Transferred to the Detachment of Patients, 4203rd U.S. Army Hospital Plant, APO 594 (battle casualty), per 545th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 3 May 1945 , effective 3 May 1945.
Duty Navigator
Last Duty Date 3 May 1945
Results Completed Combat Tour
DecorationsAwarded the Purple Heart for wounds received on 3 February 1945 per General Orders #130, Headquarters 1st Bomb Division dated 12 February 1945.
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 23 October 1921
  • Granted a seven day operational leave of absence effective 23 December 1944 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #250 dated 19 December 1944.
  • WIA on 3 February 1945.
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 26 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
190⇗ 9 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
PFF ship. Wing deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
194⇗ 13 September 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Navigator 42‑97592⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing deputy; PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
196⇗ 19 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Hamm, Germany 		Navigator 42‑97986⇗ Combat Mission Credit
PFF ship; lead Squadron deputy. Landed away at Old Buckenham, reason unknown.
Sortie Report⇗
198⇗ 25 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Navigator 42‑97592⇗ Combat Mission Credit
C wing deputy. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
200⇗ 27 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (PFF Aiming Points)
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Navigator 42‑97592⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing deputy. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
202⇗ 30 September 1944 Target: Handorf Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Münster, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8047⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing deputy. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
203⇗ 2 October 1944 Target: Ford Motor Works
Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Navigator 42‑97592⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Wing deputy. PFF ship. Led wing after Major Bean aborted. Turned over lead to high Squadron at IP for Gee-H bombing. After the Gee-H equipment failed on the second run, resumed lead and dropped using PFF aiming.
Sortie Report⇗
205⇗ 5 October 1944 Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8047⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
209⇗ 11 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Wesseling, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8007⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Second Squadron lead. PFF ship. While on the bomb run to attack the primary target using Gee-H, with the deputy in the lead, the equipment failed. The Squadron then proceeded to the secondary target and attacked using PFF.
Sortie Report⇗
212⇗ 17 October 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Navigator 42‑98027⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group deputy. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
214⇗ 19 October 1944 Target: Heinrich Lanz Tank Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8256⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead. PFF ship loaned by 303rd BG. Callsign EAVESDROP-Y.
Sortie Report⇗
215⇗ 25 October 1944 Target: Nordstern Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Navigator 42‑98027⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Fourth Squadron lead. PFF ship. Deputy's Gee-H failed during assembly, so the Squadron lead conducted a PFF attack on the secondary target.
Sortie Report⇗
218⇗ 2 November 1944 Target: Ruhr-Chemie A.G. Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Sterkrade (Holten), Germany 		Navigator 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead. PFF ship. Turned over lead to deputy for bomb run.
Sortie Report⇗
220⇗ 5 November 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Navigator 42‑98027⇗ Combat Mission Credit
PFF ship; group deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
224⇗ 10 November 1944 Target: Ostheim Airfield & Butzweilerhof Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8007⇗ Combat Mission Credit
41C Group, Group Lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
226⇗ 16 November 1944 Target: Tactical - Artillery Positions
Type: Military
Location: Eschweiler, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
PFF ship; low Squadron lead, 41st Bomb Wing A group. Landed away at Stratford, due to weather.
Sortie Report⇗
228⇗ 23 November 1944 Target: Nordstern Coking Plant at Gelsenkirchener Bergwerks-A.G.
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8401⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead, A group.
Sortie Report⇗
233⇗ 30 November 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Zeitz, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8221⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft, replaced 42‑97592. Low Squadron lead.
Sortie Report⇗
235⇗ 4 December 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Soest, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8211⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead. PFF & Gee-H ship. Landed away at Boxted due to low fuel.
Sortie Report⇗
237⇗ 9 December 1944 Target: Airfield and Daimler Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Böblingen (Stuttgart area), Germany 		Navigator 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead. PFF & Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
239⇗ 12 December 1944 Target: Leuna Synthetic Oil Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8008⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗
241⇗ 19 December 1944 Target: Railway Junction
Type: Transportation
Location: Glaadt, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8221⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead. PFF & Gee-H ship. Landed away at RAF Fairwood Common near Swansea, Wales.
Sortie Report⇗
250⇗ 3 January 1945 Target: Enemy Strong Point & Transportation Hub
Type: Military
Location: St Vith, Belgium 		Navigator 42‑98027⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead. PFF & Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
256⇗ 17 January 1945 Target: Railroad Viaduct
Type: Transportation
Location: Bielefeld, Germany 		Navigator 44‑8211⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Division lead. PFF & Gee-H ship. PFF started acting up during assembly, so the air commander ordered the low Squadron lead (PFF-equipped) to move up and fly as his deputy. At the IP, the Gee-H equipment was unusable, so lead was turned over to the deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
258⇗ 21 January 1945 Target: Marshalling Yard
Type: Transportation
Location: Aschaffenburg, Germany 		Visual (Pilotage) Navigator 42‑97592⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead. PFF and Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report⇗
264⇗ 3 February 1945 Target: Tempelhof Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Visual (Pilotage) Navigator 42‑98027⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron, Group Lead. PFF ship.
Sortie Report⇗

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