Eugene G Gjertsen
Military
Seward M. Meinstma Crew
Standing Left to Right: Jack Veach (R/O), George Wood (BTG), William Osborne (NG), John O'Donnell (FE), Howard Wade (TG), Sherell Campbell (G)
Kneeling Left to Right: Seward Meinstma (P), Donald Vanderwall (CP), Eugene Gjertsen (N), Harvey Levine (B)
This crew completed a 35 mission tour. Gjertsen transferred to the Welsh Crew of the 784th BS at some point during the tour. Also Daniel Chadbourne replaced O'Donnell as Flight Engineer during the tour.
Attlebridge Arsenal - Brassfield & Wassom
Object Number - UPL 6415 - Crew #551 Seward M. Meinstma Crew Standing Left to Right: Jack Veach (R/O), George Wood (BTG), William Osborne (NG), John O'Donnell (FE), Howard...
Flew about 15 missions with original crew, then transferred to 784th BS. Flew on B-24 #42-51240 (on overseas movement trip from U.S. This a/c was surrendered at Valley Wales. This a/c was eventually assigned to the 392nd BG)
DFC/ AM w/ 3 Oak Leaf Cluster
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
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 785th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-705752
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron 785th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Slick Chick
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 785th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Attlebridge Arsenal, Station 120
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
St Paul, Minnesota | 21 April 1923 | |
|
Other 1st Combat Mission |
Lübeck, Germany | 25 August 1944 | "Comes the first mission and it's Lubeck. All goes well as it should when I hear on the interphone, "someone down there is shooting at us!" I look up ahead and sure enough the sky is blossoming with the black bursts from the 88's. Now the moment of truth...there is no wavering or changing direction. We were doing what we came to do. I was doing "follow the leader" navigation and for the first mission it was an adventure. But when we turned at the IP and the lead ship fired the flare, it was evident we were on the bomb run and Lubeck was on the other side of that wall of flak. With time on my hands I was able to put down the tools of the trade and become an observer..." |
|
Died |
Klamath Falls, OR, USA | 12 November 1999 | Eugene G. "Gene" Gjertsen, 76, died Friday, November 12, 1999 at his Klamath Falls residence of complications from Parkinson's disease. He was born in Minnesota to Gustav and Georgia (Ainsley) Gjertsen. When he was 6 years old, he moved with his family to Tacoma, Wash. After graduating from high school, he attended Washington State University until joining the Army Air Corps in 1942 during World War II. He was a navigator on B-24 bombers that flew 30 combat missions over Europe and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal and three Oak Leaf Clusters. He returned to Washington State University where he earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in 1948. He married Barbara "Bebe" Cressey on Aug. 9, 1949. They moved to Longview, Wash., and he went to work for Weyerhaeuser Co. He served for 17 more months in the Air Force during the Korean War before being honorably discharged and resuming his career with Weyerhaueser until retiring in 1980. During that time he was promoted to plant engineer. He then started his own engineering consulting business. He served as chairman of the Apprenticeship Council and was on the Board of Directors of Friends of Collier Park, designing several of the exhibits at the logging museum there. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church, the Rotary Club and Reames Golf & Country Club and a lifetime member of American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Photography and computers were among his favorite hobbies. He also was an avid aviation buff. |
|
Buried |
Klamath Falls, OR, USA | 15 November 1999 | Klamath Memorial Park Klamath Falls Klamath County Oregon, USA |
Revisions
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources
Added a "-" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources
466th BG Archives - Letter from Eugene Gjertsen dated 15 May 1989
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / widow
