John Stephen Gercovich

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

Assigned to 323BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. Rustand crew. 9 missions. Failed to Return (FTR) Merseburg in B-17 42-97956 'PARD'; downed by fighters, crashed Libehna, Germany. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 10148



Awards: AM, PH.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Unofficial emblem of the 91st Bomb Group.

91st Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Hanford James Rustand

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19000540 / O-748255
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

42-97956

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Pard
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

San Francisco, California, USA 20 April 1925 Son of Stephen Joseph and Hazel W Gercovich.

Enlisted

San Francisco, CA, USA 15 September 1943 Some training at Langley, VA.

Killed in Action (KIA)

San Francisco, CA, USA 15 September 1943

Died

Libehna, Germany 2 November 1944 Temporally buried in Libehna, Germany Cemetery, until the war was over.

Buried

Golden Gate National Cemetery San Bruno, San Mateo County, CA 21 December 1948 From Grand Failly-Longuyon, France, his remains were returned to USA & buried at the Golden Gate National Cemetery (Section C, Site 248-D).

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

https://www.fold3.com/image/28723212
https://www.fold3.com/image/629220498
https://www.fold3.com/image/311039356
https://www.fold3.com/record/90791536/john-s-gercovich-wwii-army-enlist…
https://www.fold3.com/record/709353173/gercovich-john-s-us-veterans-gra…
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/3578509/john-s-gercovich

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "-" to the A/C tail # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.

Date
ContributorRustysgirl
Changes
Sources

Simply added the Country. Also Capitalized 'PARD' (name of the Aircraft) as it was on the plane. I have a photo of PARD, and that's how I know it was capitalized.

Date
ContributorRustysgirl
Changes
Sources

Personal Contact with Sister-In-Law (Margaret), NARA, Interment document.

Date
ContributorRustysgirl
Changes
Sources

Personal Contact with Margaret Gercovich, (Sister-In-Law).

Date
ContributorRustysgirl
Changes
Sources

Mission Loading Lists.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 10148 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database