Assigned to 412BS, 95BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Rostock in B-17 42-37876 'Miss Raps-O-Dee' 11-Apr-44; Shot down, plane crashed into Baltic off Bornholm Island. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 3804



Gerald was born in Wayne, Oklahoma to Richard Anderson Taylor and Lucy Davenport Taylor. He had bothers Victor, R. L., W. D. "Bud" (who was a C-47 pilot wounded on D-Day), Charles, sister Eula, Cuma, Weeta. Gerald was the youngest son, and his mother died in 1931. At Wayne High School he played first chair clarinet in the band and graduated as the salutatorian in 1939. He attended the University of Oklahoma and then joined the USAAF. He was going to join with his high school friend Lynn Baggett but Baggett had a medical restriction that caused delay in enlistment so Gerald went in first. He started in pilot training and then went to bombardier school. While in training the Shippacasse crew was stationed in Ardmore, Oklahoma. Shippacasse and Gerald visited Gerald's father in Wayne. The crew flew over Wayne at one point circling the water tower near his father's home. Gerald was engaged to Elwanda Holebrook when he went overseas.



Gerald visited his pregnant sister Cuma just before he left, gave her a silver dollar, and said, "When I come back we will go shopping for the baby." The baby still has the silver dollar. He visited his best friend's girlfriend Bettye and told her good bye. She said "You'll be back" and Gerald said, "I don't think so".



His brother Bud, a C-47 pilot also stationed in England, went to the Horham base because he and Gerald planned on going on leave to London together. Bud was waiting for Gerald to come back from the mission, but Gerald never returned.



When his footlocker came home to Wayne, his sister Weeta said his dirty clothes were in there and his socks still smelled like him, and it was devastating for the family. His father burned his uniform in the yard because he was so distraught he didn't want to look at it, but his sister Cuma took off the insignia first.



Awards: AM, PH.