Clarence W Gerrick

Military
media-39117.jpeg UPL 39117 Bing Garret in 1941

Dan Masters' blog of the Second World War, Thursday, June 13, 2019, "Ploesti and Beyond: The Wartime Careers of Clarence Gerrick and Jack Dieterle," https://danmastersworldwar2.blogspot.com/2019/06/ploesti-and-beyond-war…

Object Number - UPL 39117 - Bing Garret in 1941

Born in Toledo, Ohio, where he attended St. John High School, graduating in 1935. He played basketball in high school and at the University of Toledo, where he majored in business.



He enlisted in March 1941 and joined the 567th BS in June 1943 as a pilot of a B-24 Liberator.



Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying B-24 Liberator 42-40733. He survived the Ploesti mission only to be shot down on 1 Oct. 1943 over Belgium, and spent the rest of the war as a POW.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 389th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 567th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 567th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 567th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 567th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 31083126
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 567th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Virgin for Short, But Not For Long
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 564th Bomb Squadron 567th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Berka, al Birkah

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Toledo, Ohio 12 February 1917

Enlisted

Ft. Hayes, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A. 15 March 1941 Enlisted at Ft. Hayes, Columbus, Ohio.

Other

War Experiences from Journals

1 August 1943 "Gerrick's flight back was a hairy one: they had taken heavy antiaircraft fire over the target and had lost one of the engines. The plane fell behind the rest of the group on the way out and ended up flying over a German airbase with fighters refueling on the ground. The plane was nearly out of fuel when they crossed into Libya, and ran out of fuel on the runway upon landing. The physical and mental exertions of flying a battle damaged B-24 back 1,000 miles from Rumania took a heavy toll: Bing estimated that he had lost 10 pounds during the course of the mission and said he had worked never worked harder in his life than on the return trip from Steaua Romana." Dan Masters, "Dragged Through the Mouth of Hell: Toledo's Contribution to Operation Tidal Wave, August 1, 1943," Northwest Ohio History Journal, Vol. 84, No. 1 (October 6, 2016).

Died

23 March 1997 Toledo, Ohio.

Other

Biography

"Captain Clarence W. Gerrick grew up at 328 Palmer St. in the Lagrange Street Polish neighborhood. He attended old St. John High School in Toledo where he played varsity basketball, graduating with the class of 1935. He later played basketball at the University of Toledo and graduated from the business school in 1940. Gerrick went on to work as a collector in the finance office of Shank-Cobley Co. (a Plymouth-DeSoto car dealership in downtown Toledo) before enlisting in the Army as an aviation cadet on March 15, 1941 at Fort Hayes in Columbus, Ohio. He received his wings at Brooks Field, Texas in October 1941, and went overseas in June 1943 as pilot with his own crew. He was known by his friends as ‘Bing,’ a reference to his prowess on the basketball court. ... [After the Ploesti mission,] Gerrick would return to England with his group but would be shot down October 4, 1943 during a mission over Belgium and would be held as a POW until the end of the war. Upon his release, he would return to Toledo, get married, starting a family and business career. “Bing” Gerrick died in Toledo in 1997." Dan Masters, "Dragged Through the Mouth of Hell: Toledo's Contribution to Operation Tidal Wave, August 1, 1943," Northwest Ohio History Journal, Vol. 84, No. 1 (October 6, 2016).

Revisions

Date
Changes
Date
ContributorDieterle
Changes
Sources

Dan Masters, Dan Masters' blog of the Second World War, Thursday, June 13, 2019, "Ploesti and Beyond: The Wartime Careers of Clarence Gerrick and Jack Dieterle," https://danmastersworldwar2.blogspot.com/2019/06/ploesti-and-beyond-war…

Date
ContributorDieterle
Changes
Sources

Dan Masters, Dan Masters' blog of the Second World War, Thursday, June 13, 2019, "Ploesti and Beyond: The Wartime Careers of Clarence Gerrick and Jack Dieterle," https://danmastersworldwar2.blogspot.com/2019/06/ploesti-and-beyond-war…

Date
ContributorDieterle
Changes
Sources

Dan Masters, Dan Masters' blog of the Second World War, Thursday, June 13, 2019, "Ploesti and Beyond: The Wartime Careers of Clarence Gerrick and Jack Dieterle," https://danmastersworldwar2.blogspot.com/2019/06/ploesti-and-beyond-war…

Date
ContributorDieterle
Changes
Sources

Dan Masters, Dan Masters' blog of the Second World War, Thursday, June 13, 2019, "Ploesti and Beyond: The Wartime Careers of Clarence Gerrick and Jack Dieterle," https://danmastersworldwar2.blogspot.com/2019/06/ploesti-and-beyond-war…

Date
ContributorDieterle
Changes
Sources

Dan Masters, Dan Masters' blog of the Second World War, Thursday, June 13, 2019, "Ploesti and Beyond: The Wartime Careers of Clarence Gerrick and Jack Dieterle," https://danmastersworldwar2.blogspot.com/2019/06/ploesti-and-beyond-war…

Date
ContributorDieterle
Changes
Sources

Dan Masters' blog of the Second World War, Thursday, June 13, 2019, "Ploesti and Beyond: The Wartime Careers of Clarence Gerrick and Jack Dieterle," https://danmastersworldwar2.blogspot.com/2019/06/ploesti-and-beyond-war…

Date
ContributorDieterle
Changes
Sources

Dan Masters' blog of the Second World War, Thursday, June 13, 2019, "Ploesti and Beyond: The Wartime Careers of Clarence Gerrick and Jack Dieterle," https://danmastersworldwar2.blogspot.com/2019/06/ploesti-and-beyond-war…

Date
ContributorDieterle
Changes
Sources

Dan Masters' blog of the Second World War, Thursday, June 13, 2019, "Ploesti and Beyond: The Wartime Careers of Clarence Gerrick and Jack Dieterle," https://danmastersworldwar2.blogspot.com/2019/06/ploesti-and-beyond-wart...

Date
ContributorDieterle
Changes
Sources

Date Contributor Update
28 June 2019 21:05:22 Dieterle Created entry with caption, unit associations and place associations
Sources
Dan Masters' blog of the Second World War, Thursday, June 13, 2019, "Ploesti and Beyond: The Wartime Careers of Clarence Gerrick and Jack Dieterle," https://danmastersworldwar2.blogspot.com/2019/06/ploesti-and-beyond-wart...

Date
ContributorDieterle
Changes
Sources

Richard Dieterle, from, Dan Masters, "Dragged Through the Mouth of Hell: Toledo's Contribution to Operation Tidal Wave, August 1, 1943," Northwest Ohio History Journal, Vol. 84, No. 1 (October 6, 2016).

Date
ContributorDieterle
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Sources

Richard Dieterle. Exact birth and death dates obtained from ancientfaces.com.

Date
ContributorDieterle
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Richard Dieterle, from Fold3 website.

Date
ContributorDieterle
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Richard Dieterle, birth year from MyLife.com.

Date
ContributorDieterle
Changes
Sources

Richard Dieterle, from Dan Masters, "Dragged Through the Mouth of Hell: Toledo's Contribution to Operation Tidal Wave, August 1, 1943," Northwest Ohio History Journal, Vol. 84, No. 1 (October 6, 2016).

Date
ContributorDieterle
Changes
Sources

Richard Dieterle, quoting passages from — Dan Masters, "Dragged Through the Mouth of Hell: Toledo's Contribution to Operation Tidal Wave, August 1, 1943," Northwest Ohio History Journal, Vol. 84, No. 1 (October 6, 2016).

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

'Ploesti' by Dugan & Stewart / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

Clarence W Gerrick: Gallery (5 items)