Gerard Alfred Messier

Military
media-25894.jpeg UPL 25894 Crew #625 - Joseph Hartley Crew
466th BG - 786th BS

Standing Left to Right: Gerald A. Messier (CP), Raymond Shinder (B), George Keber (N), Joseph Hartley (P)

Kneeling Left to Right: Richard Halstead (G), Bernell Oberbeck (FE), Harry Phippen (G), Walter Sloan (G), Henry McKinley (R/O), Unidentified

Corrected flight engineer's name.

Object Number - UPL 25894 - Crew #625 - Joseph Hartley Crew 466th BG - 786th BS Standing Left to Right: Gerald A. Messier (CP), Raymond Shinder (B), George Keber (N),...

Connections

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Units served with

Three little girls hold up a balloon celebrating the 100th mission of the 466th Bomb Group in front of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-95592) nicknamed "Black Cat". Handwritten caption on reverse: 'On our 100 Mission party Day- 18 Aug 1944, Attlebridge, 466th- wouldn't it be something if we could identify these girls? How could I do it?'

466th Bomb Group

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

People

Charles F Dibrell

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 786th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Joseph Hartley

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 786th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-811377
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

42-95010

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Crow's Nest
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 786th Bomb Squadron

Missions

428

  • Date: 21 June 1944
  • Official Description:

Places

Aerial photograph of Attlebridge airfield, looking north, the fuel store and a T2 hangar are in the upper centre, 31 January 1946. Photograph taken by No. 90 Squadron, sortie number RAF/3G/TUD/UK/51. English Heritage (RAF Photography).

Attlebridge

  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Attlebridge Arsenal, Station 120

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Holyoke, MA 16 May 1920

Other

Wounded In Action

Berlin, Germany 21 June 1944 Wounded on the bomb run by 20mm shell fire from German fighters. The shellfire killed the pilot, Joseph Hartley. The wounded Messier flew the aircraft back to a safe crash landing at Leiston

Died

Hartford, CT 3 June 1988

Buried

Enfield, CT 6 June 1988 New Saint Patricks Cemetery Enfield, Hartford County, Connecticut, USA
Enfield, CT, USA 62 South River Street
Enfield, CT, USA 62 South River Street

Revisions

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2238&h=1205280…
https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=4124&h=1009810…

"Attlebridge Diaries" - John Woolnough, page 80

Date
ContributorBrad Sullivan
Changes
Sources

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/143755165

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

1975 466th BGA Roster

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

"Officers of Attlebridge" - 466th BG publication 1945
page 23

Gerard Alfred Messier: Gallery (2 items)

Object number: UPL 25894 - Crew #625 - Joseph Hartley Crew 466th BG - 786th...