John Gavin
MilitaryJoined Sqd 8/3/42. ETO/Queen Mary 9/5/42. Injured 1/3/43 (St. Nazaire). Serious injury in crash. Returned to USA Hospital. Pilot: Erwin. January 3, 1943 B-24 #4123806 'Bat Out of Hell' crashed south-west of Haverfordwest returning from target U/B yards (submarine) at St. Nazaire, France. Fuel shortage caused the crash.
On 3 Jan 1943 in B-24D 41-23806 "Bat out of Hell" while serving as Bombardier the aircraft made a crash-landing near Heverfordwest when it ran out of fuel upon return from a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Sr. Nazaire, France. He was hospitalized and returned to the US for medical discharge. The pilot died of his injuries on 5-Jan-43; the co-pilot was killed in the crash; and the Navigator died of his injuries on 8-Jan-43.
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
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: - Bat Out Of Hell
- Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 3 January 1943
Places
Revisions
Brought together information from duplicate record, to include information from: Lee Cunningham 5-Feb-2015. All additions, changes etc. based on "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A, Hey MBE. Made connections to Place, Aircraft and Mission within existing website data, http://8thairforce.com/44thbg/search/perlastname.asp
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Webb Todd, Losses of the 8th and 9th Air Forces Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hey p. 61, 44th BG Roll of Honor and Casualties by Lundy p. 39, The 44th BG in WWII by MacKay and Adams p.27