B-29 over the Hump
B-29 over the Hump, Burma
bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Roster > Roster Records > Roster G, © 2023 by Robert A. Christiansen, last update by RAC 1 Oct 2023.
Part 8/24 of Big Pigeon's Pottawattamie Area World War II Dead Roster, 24 "G" names.
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† Gaddis, Harold Wilson, SN 6-563-917, US Army, Pott. & Cass Cos.
  • b. 28 Dec 1913 rural Griswold, Wright Twp., Pott. Co.; s/o Elisha P. Gaddis (d. 1925) & Margaret G. Campbell; family moved to Griswold town in late 1930s; entered service 14 Dec 1936 from Rt. 3, Griswold, reenlisted Mar 1940; bur. Manila American Cem., Luzon, Philippines.
  • 129th Inf. Regt., 37th Inf. Div.; DNB 6 Jul 1945 Cagayan Valley, northern Luzon; Philippines Liberated > Luzon.

† Gallup, Eugene Maxwell, SN 39-539-448, US Army Air Force, Harrison Co.
  • b. 24 Nov 1919 Logan, Harrison Co.; s/o Dale E. Gallup & Daisy F. Farris; family moved to Missouri Valley, Harrison Co. before 1930; lived in Long Beach, CA in early 1944s; m. Margaret N. Sears, one child; entered service 28 Oct 1942 from Missouri Valley; service credited to Los Angeles Co., CA; bur. Lorraine American Cem., St. Avold, Lorraine, France.
  • 578th Bomb. Sqdn., 392nd Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force; stationed at Wendling, near East Dereham, Norfolk, England; Consolidated B-24 Liberator #41-28688 gunner w/ pilot Travis W. Griffin; KIA 24 Apr 1944; multiple engine failure on mission to Leipheim Luftwaffe air base, E of Ulm, Bavaria, Germany; entire crew of ten bailed out SW of Freudenstadt, Baden; two died; The ETO > ETO Air War.

† Garafalo, James Lester, SN O-329,415, US Naval Aviation, Pott. Co.
  • b. 26 Jan 1918, Omaha, NE; s/o Paul Garafalo (d. 1940) & Calogera Messina of Co. Bluffs; m. Josephine Ann Cash of Co. Bluffs 1944, one child; enlisted 20 Jul 1938 from Co. Bluffs; bur. St. Joseph Cem., Co. Bluffs.
  • Pensacola NAS, Escambia Co., Florida; Consolidated PBY-5 BuNo 08307 Catalina passenger; d. 3 Jun 1946 in Escambia Bay 3.5 miles SE of Naval Air Station Ellyson Field, Escambia Co.; wind caught right wing float while landing, plane flipped and caught fire; both died.

† Garner, William Fredrick, SN O-240,615, US Naval Aviation, Pott. Co.
  • b. 23 Aug 1920 Co. Bluffs; s/o Roy J. & Irene M. Kinzel of Co. Bluffs; m. Mary Jane Flesh; entered service 4 Jun 1942 from Co. Bluffs.
  • Naval Air Fighter Sqdn. VBF-83, Carrier Air Group 83, on USS Essex (CV-9); Vought F4U Corsair pilot; KIA 18 Mar 1945 near Tomitake Airfield, Kyushu, Japan; shot down; Naval War with Japan > Third & Fifth Fleets; BNR.

† Garrean, Elwood Eugene, SN 39-029-723, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co. & Los Angeles Co., CA
  • b. 30 Jun 1921 Hemingford, Box Butte Co., NE; s/o Walter E. Garrean & Edna M. McMurtrie; family moved to Co. Bluffs in 1920s; m. Mary F. Darnell of Co. Bluffs in Los Angeles, CA 1942; service credited to Los Angeles Co.
  • 806th Bomb. Sqdn., 471 Bomb. Gp., Pueblo Army Air Field, Pueblo, Pueblo Co., CO; Consolidated B-24E Liberator #42-7107 crew member w/ pilot Thomas C. Merryman Jr.; DNB 18 Aug 1943 over Gulf of Mexico ~ 138 miles SE of Corpus Christi, TX on flight to Texas; all ten dead; BNR.

† Garrett, Elmer Earl "Bud", SN 0-763-195, US Army Air Force, Fremont Co.
  • b. 7 May 1918 rural Tabor, Green Twp., Fremont Co.; s/o Elmer A. Garrett (d. 1930) & Ruth A. Timson; entered service Jun 1942 from Tabor; m. Helen F. Kotter of Tabor Jan 1944.
  • 67th Fighter Sqdn., 347th Fighter Gp., Thirteenth Air Force, based on Middleburg Is., near Sansapor, extreme western Dutch New Guinea; Lockheed P-38 Lightning pilot; KIA 3 Dec 1944 over southern Celebes; US Air Force War w/ Japan > Thirteenth Air Force; BNR.
 
† Gee, Norris Bradford, SN 0-1-174-575, US Army, Marion Co.
  • ​b. 17 Sep 1918 Omaha, NE; s/o Bradford D. Gee & Lydia A. Rossiter; family moved to Knoxville, Marion Co. 1930; entered service 19 Oct 1936  from Knoxville; m. Clerice Bulgarelli 1941, two children; bur. Graceland Cem., Knoxville.
  • 202nd Field Artillery Group, Ninth Army; observation plane pilot; DNB 7 May 1945 Uetze, NE of Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany; The ETO > Central Europe > Central Germany.
  • Note: During WWII, pilots of small artillery observation aircraft were members of the Army Field Artillery branch rather than the Army Air Force.

​† Gee, Richard Arthur, SN 0-496-121, US Army Air Force, Marion Co.
  • b. 24 Jul 1920 Tabor, Fremont Co.; s/o Bradford D. Gee & Lydia A. Rossiter; family moved to Knoxville, Marion Co. 1930; entered service 12 May 1939 from Knoxville; m. Miriam I. Freridge; bur. Graceland Cem., Knoxville.
  • 430th Fighter Sqdn., 474th Fighter Gp., Ninth Air Force; based at Warmwell, SE of Dorchester, Dorset, England; Lockheed P-38J Lightning #42-67675​ pilot; KIA 22 Jun 1944 NW of Cherbourg, Hainneville, Departement de la Manche, Basse-Normandie, France; The ETO > The ETO Air War.

† Gerdts, Luther Charles, SN 37-647 -768, US Army, Clinton & Shelby Cos.
  • b. 16 Mar 1918 Clinton, Clinton Co., s/o Henry C. Gerdts & Ida Matthew; m. Mildred S. Wahl of Clinton Co. 1937; one child; entered service 4 Oct 1944 at Jefferson Barracks, MO from Rt. 1, Clinton; service credited to Shelby Co. (no known connection); bur. Clinton Lawn Cem., Clinton.
  • Co. E, 152nd Inf. Regt., 38th Inf. Div., KIA Shimbu Line, NE of Manila, Luzon, Philippines 16 May 1945; Philippines Liberated > Luzon.

† Gettys, Joe Lynam Jr., served as Joe L. Getts Jr., SN 17-096-828, US Army Air Force, Shelby Co.
  • b. 5 Feb 1923 Des Moines, Polk Co.; s/o Joe L. Gettys Sr. & Clara B. Sherman; Iowa natives who lived in several northwest Iowa towns before moving to Harlan, Shelby Co. abt. 1940; entered service 5 Dec 1942 from Harlan; group bur. Jefferson Barracks Nat'l Cem. St. Louis, MO.
  • 719th Bomb Sqdn., 449th Bomb. Gp., Fifteenth Air Force, based at Grottaglie, near Taranto, Apulia, Italy; former radio operator with the William Bache crew, DNB 9 Dec 1944 near Oliveto Citra, E. of Salerno, Italy on Consolidated B-24H Liberator #41-29307 Buzzer; passengers on the Buzzer had completed their missions and were being reassigned to rear-area duties; Buzzer crashed killing all fifteen; The MTO > MTO Air War.

† Gidley, Robert Allan, SN 17-040-837, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.
  • b. 3 May 1515 Co. Bluffs; s/o Allan B. Gidley & Essie E. Smith of Co., Bluffs; entered service 17 Feb 1942 from Co. Bluffs; m. Donnabelle Oviatt of Harrison Co. 1943; b. Cedar Lawn Cem., Co. Bluffs.
  • 676th Bomb. Sqdn. 444th Bomb. Gp., XX Bomber Cmd., Twentieth Air Force, based at Dudhkundi Army Air Field, near Kharagpur, West Bengal, India, staging from Kwanghan Army Air Field, near Chengdu, China; Boeing B-29 Superfortress #42-6330 Come-In-23982 flight engineer, Charles E. Hansen pilot; KIA 20 Aug 1944 near Chengdu, Sichuan, China; plane hit cliff while landing after bombing Yawata Iron Works on Kyushu Is., Japan; nine or eleven dead, one survivor; Operation Matterhorn - China-Burma-India Theater > China.

† Gill, Carl Edward, SN 316-39-25, US Naval Aviation, Pott. Co.
  • b. 15 Jul 1916 Des Moines, Polk Co.; s/o Elvin A. Gill & Minnie Gordon; moved to Co. Bluffs as child; entered service 13 Aug 1944 from Co. Bluffs; m. Lee Hughlett 1941; bur. Memorial Park Cem., Co. Bluffs.
  • assigned to US Embassy, Mexico City, Mexico; d. 20 Sep 1946 near Mexico City; crash of US Naval Attache’s plane.

† Gilmore, Burrel Gilbert, SN 39-018-679, US Army, Woodbury & Pott. Cos.
  • b. 2 Dec 1913 Sioux City, Woodbury Co.; s/o James F. Gilmore & Belle S. Lynch; raised in Sioux City, mother moved to Co. Bluffs ~ 1942; m. Marjorie E. Sterling in Sioux City 1933 (div.); enlisted 7 Feb 1942 in Los Angeles Co., CA; service credited to Angelina Co., TX; bur. Henri-Chapelle American Cem., Verviers, Belgium.
  • 18th Inf. Regt., 1st Inf. Div.; KIA 8 Oct 1944 near Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany; The ETO > War of Attrition > Rhineland 1944 > Aachen.

† Glassburn, Hugh Stuart, 0-375-826, US Army Air Force, Polk Co.
  • b. 19 Feb 1912 Hancock, Pott. Co.; s/o Hugh Damron Glassburn & Maggie Jane Grimes; m. Irene M. Davidson 1931, two children; entered service 1 Oct 1940 from Des Moines, Polk Co.; bur. Glendale Cem., Des Moines.
  • ​​Regional Communications Control Officer, Army Airways Communications System, Seattle, WA; died in Vultee BT-13A Valiant #42-42929 of 331st Fighter Sqdn., 329th Fighter Gp. based earlier at Paine Army Air Field, Everett, WA; DNB 24 Aug 1943, crashed near Olympia Army Air Field, Thurston Co., WA; both crew dead.

† Glaze, Keith Franklin, SN 20-706-542, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • b. 5 Jun 1921 Co. Bluffs; s/o Earl C. Glaze & Jessie M. Byard of Co. Bluffs; entered service 10 Feb 1941 from Co. Bluffs; bur. Walnut Hill Cem., Co. Bluffs.
  • Co. L, 168th Inf. Regt., 34th Inf. Div; detached to British 6th Commando Battalion; KIA 22 Nov 1942, NE Algeria; The MTO > North Africa > Race to Tunis.

† ​Good, John Harold, SN 37-483-656, US Army, Davis & Cass Cos.
  • b. 9 Jul 1908 Bloomfield, Davis Co.; s/o George W. Good & Clara M. Dodge of Cleveland Twp., Davis Co., was living at home in 1940; m. June J. Ullrich of Atlantic, Cass Co. 1941 in Atlantic, one child; entered service 5 Aug 1943 from Atlantic; service credited to Cass Co.; bur. Sicily-Rome American Cem., Nettuno, Lazio, Italy.
  • 168th Inf. Regt., 34th Inf. Div., VI Corps, Fifth Army; KIA 29 May 1944 near Villa Crocetta, SE of Rome, Italy; Anzio Beachhead breakout - The MTO > Italy > Cassino to Rome.

† Goodwin, Ralph H., civilian, Maricopa Co., AZ
  • b. 29 Apr 1894 Alliance, Box Butte Co., NE; s/o James Goodwin (former Boomer Twp. resident) & May Carver of Alliance; lived in Phoenix, AZ; m. Lillie M. Chitwood 1914, three children; bur. Jefferson Barracks Nat’l Cem., St. Louis, MO.
  • Morrison-Knudsen Civil Engineering Company employee; d. 23 Dec 1943 at Fukuoka POW Camp, Kyushu Is., Japan; one of about 1,221 civilians captured or killed at Wake Is.; Japan Lashes Out > Guam & Wake Island.
  • Local History Note: Ralph Goodwin was born in Alliance, Nebraska, lived in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife and children, and was captured on Wake Island and sent to Japan as a forced laborer. Ralph's father was a childhood neighbor and perhaps schoolmate of my grandfather Christiansen in Boomer Township. In the summer of my seventh year, one of my afternoon tasks was to fetch the cows from a pasture once owned by Ralph's grandfather.​

† Green, Leo Vincent, SN 37-463-951, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • b. 22 Jan 1918 Cedar Rapids, Linn Co.; s/o John A. Green & Hanora R. Wickham who moved to Co. Bluffs in early 1930s; entered service 10 Nov 1942; bur. St. Joseph Cem., Co. Bluffs.
  • unit unknown; DNB 29 Oct 1943, Barton Gen. Hosp., Spokane, Spokane Co., WA, uremic poisoning.

† Gregg, William Arnold (served as Barney W. Gregg), SN 37-681-006, US Army, Montgomery Co.
  • b. 21 May 1919 Rantoul, Franklin Co., KS; s/o Earl A Gregg (d. 1921) & Effie F. Gregg; moved to Red Oak, Montgomery Co. in early 1930s; m. Frances M. Frank 1937 in Council Bluffs, one child; entered service 29 Oct 1943 from Red Oak; bur. Netherlands American Cem., Margraten, E of Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands.
  • Co. A, 23rd Armored Inf. Bn., 7th Armored Div., Ninth Army, attached to British VIII Corps, British Second Army; KIA 28 Oct 1944 near Neerkant, E of Eindhoven, North Brabant, Netherlands; The ETO > War of Attrition > Netherlands 1944.

† Grett, Gerald LaVern, SN 37-120-507, US Army Air Force, Shelby Co.
  • b. 29 Dec 1919 Bear Grove Twp., Guthrie Co., IA; s/o Calvin L. Grett & Mary E. Sheeder (div. 1930s); family moved to Adel, Dallas Co. in late 1920s and to Harlan, Shelby Co. in early 1930s; entered service 3 Dec 1941 from Harlan; m. Florence Maloy of Oklahoma 1943, one child; group burial Memphis Nat'l Cem., Memphis, TN.
  • 67th Bomb. Sqdn., 44th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, TDY to Ninth Air Force, Benina Main Air Base, Benghazi, Libya; Consolidated Liberator B-24D #41-44229 Buzzin Bear waist gunner, Leighton C. Smith pilot; KIA 16 Aug 1943 over San Fele, E of Naples, Italy; hit by Luftwaffe fighters returning from bombing the Foggia airfield complex, Buzzin Bear exploded and broke in two; four dead, six POW; The MTO > MTO Air War.
  • Note: Some information under Gerald Grett's findagrave.com entry is at variance with the above and I believe is incorrect.

​​† ​Gunsolley, Max Gerald, SN 37-656-287, US Army Air Force, Des Moines Co.
  • b. 6 Sep 1922 Mondamin, Harrison Co.; s/o Gerald Gunsolley & Ruth H. McMullen (d. 1942); entered service 18 Jan 1943 from Burlington, Des Moines Co.
  • 644th Bomb. Sqdn, 410th Bomb Gp., Ninth Air Force; based at Gosfield, west of Colchester, Essex, England; Douglas A-20G Havoc #43-10192 crew member w/ pilot Robert C. Bruce; KIA 3 Jun 1944; aircraft last seen heading to the coast through a flak zone; The ETO > ETO Air War; BNR.

† Gustafson, Carl Lynn, SN 37-024-692, US Army, Emmet Co.
  • b. 15 Dec 1913 Center Twp., Emmet Co.; s/o Charles J. Gustafson & Anna J. Rose, both b. Sweden & d. Emmet Co.; m. Agnes Cress of Harrison Co., div., one child; m. Tillie M. Kennedy; entered service 29 Mar 1941 from Estherville, Emmet Co.; service credited to Freeborn Co., MN where he was earlier employed.
  • 279th Replacement Co., 21st Replacement Depot (Infantry); KIA 10/11 Feb 1945 off E coast of Mindanao, Philippines; on LST-577 in a convoy proceeding from Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea to Leyte, Philippines; ship torpedoed by Japanese submarine RO-50 & broke in two with aft section sinking immediately; 66 navy & 100 army dead; Philippines Liberated > Philippines Naval War; BNR.

† Gustafson, Dale Eldon, SN 19-127-645, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co.
  • b. 19 Aug 1921 Co. Bluffs; s/o Carl E. Gustafson & Ethel G. Harold (d. 1929); entered service 7 Sep 1942 from Co. Bluffs; m. Bette J. (Dorscher) Fell 1944.
  • 250th Bomb. Sqdn., 100th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force; stationed at Thorpe Abbots, Norfolk, England; Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress #42-102611 left waist gunner; KIA 27 Jun 1944 near Great Yarmouth, England, plane lost during training flight; The ETO > ETO Air War; BNR.

 † Guyett, Homer Max, SN 37-734-948, US Army, Harrison Co.
  • b. 13 Dec 1923 Woodbine, Harrison Co.; s/o Lloyd B. Guyett & Lois A. Johns, lifelong Harrison Co. residents; married Frances A. Rothenay of rural Missouri Valley 1944, one child; entered service 12 Jun 1944 from Woodbine; bur. Henri-Chapelle American Cem., Liege, Belgium.
  • Co. G, 16th Inf. Regt., 1st Inf. Div., III Corps, First Army; KIA 1 Mar 1945 bet. Düren and Bonn, Germany, artillery burst; The ETO > To the Rhine > Operation Lumberjack.