John Frank Gentile

Military
media-44501.png UPL 44501 John Gentile – Source : https://wwiiflighttraining.org/?page_id=688

Object Number - UPL 44501 - John Gentile – Source : https://wwiiflighttraining.org/?page_id=688

John Gentile was Co-Pilot on B-24 'Begin The Beguine' #41-28619 on the mission to the Juvincourt airfield, France on 23 July 1944. Shot down by Flak over Holland, caught fire and exploded. Debris were spread over large area West of Vlissingen, Zeeland Province, The Netherlands. Prisoner of War (POW).

Connections

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Units served with

Colonel Larry Thomas of the 453rd Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Col Larry Thomas 453BG.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 732nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39725258 at enlistment, then O-701423
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 732nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 33598302
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 732nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 38404158
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 732nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18154535
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 732nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39277430
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Nose Turret Gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Begin The Beguine
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 732nd Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany
  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag 7a, Moosburg

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA 4 June 1921

Enlisted

Nashville, Tennessee, USA 9 March 1943 Air Corps Facilities

Other

Captured

23 June 1944 after landing in parachute NE of Vlissingen, Zeeland Province, The Netherlands and sent to the German Marine hospital in Bergen-op-Zoom

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Zagan, Poland 23 June 1944 - 29 April 1945 Interned at Stalag Luft 3 Sagan/Zagan, Poland. Force-marched from there. Liberated 29 April 1945 at Stalag 7A in Moosburg, Germany. NARA WWII POW record : “Returned to Military Control 3 July 1945.”
Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA

Died

Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a location to the Died event per info in the event Description.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a location to the KIA event per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
Added an associations to Stalag Luft 3 & Stalag 7A per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

Added Serial Number at enlistment

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 6232
NARA WWII Enlistment records
WWII Draft card
NARA WWII POW records
SSDI (Social Security Death Index)

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added S/N & POW camp info per records for POWs at the National Archives.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Made a connection to the Copilot & the bombadier on the 6/23/44 mission. Data from book "Heros in the Sky" by Ian Darling.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 6232 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

John Frank Gentile: Gallery (2 items)