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bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Dead > Roster Records > Roster G, © 2025 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 23 Jan 2025
Part 9/27 of the Pottawattamie Area World War II Dead Roster, 25 "G" records
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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 (b. Redfield, Dallas Co.; d. 1925) & Margaret G. Campbell (b. Brighton Twp., Cass Co.); family moved to Griswold, Cass Co. in late 1930s.
• entered service 14 Dec 1936 from Rt. 3, Griswold, Cass Co.; reenlisted Mar 1940; service credited to Cass Co.; buried Manila American Cem., Luzon, Philippines.
• 129th Inf. Regt., 37th Inf. Div.; DNB 6 Jul 1945 Cagayan Valley, northern Luzon, Philippines.
• 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 (b. Neola, Pott. Co.) & Daisy F. Farris (b. Wayne Co., IL); family moved to Missouri Valley, Harrison Co. before 1930.
• lived in Long Beach, CA in early 1940s; married Margaret N. Sears of Harrison Co., one child.
• entered service 28 Oct 1942 from Missouri Valley, Harrison Co.; service credited to Los Angeles Co., CA; buried 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 with pilot Travis W. Griffin; KIA 24 Apr 1944; multiple engine failure on mission to Leipheim Luftwaffe air base, east of Ulm, Bavaria, Germany; entire crew of ten bailed out SW of Freudenstadt, Baden, Germany; two died.
• The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

† 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, both b. Italy; family moved to Co. Bluffs before 1920.
• married Josephine Ann Cash of Co. Bluffs Feb 1944 in Co. Bluffs, one child.
• enlisted 20 Jul 1938 from Co. Bluffs; buried 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, aircraft 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. Garner (b. Pott. Co.) & Irene M. Kinzel (b. Co. Bluffs).
• attended University of Iowa 1942-44; married Mary Jane Flesh of St. Louis, MO Jun 1944 in Wildwood, NJ.
• entered service 4 Jun 1942 from Co. Bluffs; wife, Mrs. Mary Jane Garner, 668 Lockwood Ave., Webster Grove, MO; body not recovered; memorialized Courts of the Missing, Natl. Cem. of the Pacific, Honolulu, Oahu, HI; cenotaph Hazel Dell Cem., Pott. Co.
• 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.

† 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 (b. Bartlett, Fremont Co.) & Edna M. McMurtrie (b. Hanson Co., SD); family moved to Co. Bluffs in early 1920s.
• married Mary F. Darnell of Co. Bluffs Jul 1942 in Co. Bluffs.
• enlisted 20 Oct 1942 at San Francisco Co., CA from Los Angeles Co., CA; service credited to Los Angeles Co., CA; body not recovered; since this was a domestic incident, no missing or memorial information is available.
• 806th Bomb. Sqdn., 471 Bomb. Gp., Pueblo Army Air Field, Pueblo, Pueblo Co., CO; Consolidated B-24E Liberator #42-7107 crew member with pilot Thomas C. Merryman Jr.; d. 18 Aug 1943 over Gulf of Mexico about 138 miles SE of Corpus Christi, TX on flight to Texas; all ten died.

† 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 (b. Mills Co.; d. 1930) & Ruth A. Timson (b. Fremont Co.).
• married Helen F. Kotter of Tabor Jan 1944.
• entered service Jun 1942 from Tabor, Fremont Co; service credited to Fremont Co.; body not recovered; memorialized Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cem., Leyte, Philippines; cenotaph Fairview Cem., Tabor, Mills Co.
• 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 with Japan > Thirteenth Air Force.

 
† Gee, Norris Bradford, SN 0-1-174-575, US Army, Marion Co.

• ​b. 17 Sep 1918 Omaha, NE; married Clerice Bulgarelli 1941, two children.
• entered service 19 Oct 1936  from Knoxville, Marion Co.; service credited to Marion Co.; buried Graceland Cem., Knoxville.
• 202nd Field Artillery Group, Ninth Army; observation aircraft 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.; married Miriam I. Freridge.
• entered service 12 May 1939 from Knoxville, Marion County; service credited to Marion Co.; buried 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 > ETO Air War > Ninth Air Force.

​+++++++++
About Norris and Richard Gee:

• sons of Bradford D. Gee (b. Illinois) & Lydia A. Rossiter (b. Tabor, Fremont Co.); family moved from Tabor to Prescott, Adams Co. in late 1920s and to Knoxville, Marion Co. 1930.​

† Gerdts, Luther Charles, SN 37-647 -768, US Army, Clinton Co.

• b. 16 Mar 1918 Clinton, Clinton Co., s/o Henry C. Gerdts (b. Jackson Co.) & Ida Matthew (b. Whiteside Co., IL).
• married Mildred S. Wahl of Clinton Co. 1937; one child.
• entered service 4 Oct 1944 at Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, MO from Rt. 1, Clinton, Clinton Co.; service credited to Shelby Co. for unknown reason; buried 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. (b. Des Moines) & Clara B. Sherman (b. Poweshiek Co.), family lived in several northwest Iowa towns before moving to Harlan, Shelby Co. about 1940.
• entered service 5 Dec 1942 from Harlan, Shelby Co.; service credited to Shelby Co.; group burial Jefferson Barracks Natl. 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, east 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 (b. Oakland Co., MI) & Essie E. Smith (b. Woodbine, Harrison Co.).
• married Donnabelle Oviatt of Harrison Co. 1943.
• entered service 17 Feb 1942 from Co. Bluffs; service credited to Pott. Co.; buried 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; aircraft hit cliff while landing after bombing Yawata Iron Works on Kyushu Is., Japan; nine or eleven died, one survived.
• Operation Matterhorn - Air Force War with Japan > Twentieth Air Force.

† 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 (b. Cedar Co.) & Minnie Gordon (b. Des Moines); family moved to Omaha and then to Co. Bluffs in 1921.
• married Lee Hughlett Aug 1941 in Jacksonville, Duval Co., FL.
• entered service 13 Aug 1944 from Co. Bluffs; buried 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 aircraft.

† 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 (b. Brule Co., SD) & Belle S. Lynch (b. Montgomery Co., IN); raised in Sioux City, mother moved to Co. Bluffs about 1942.
  • married Marjorie E. Sterling in Sioux City Dec 1933, divorced; married Anita Colleen Edge of Angelina Co., TX.
• enlisted 7 Feb 1942 at Los Angeles Co., CA; service credited to Angelina Co., TX; buried Henri-Chapelle American Cem., Verviers, SE of Liege, Belgium.
• 18th Inf. Regt., 1st Inf. Div.; KIA 8 Oct 1944 near Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
• The ETO > War of Attrition > Aachen.
• Notes: After Burrell's death, his mother, Belle Gilmore, ran Mrs. Gilmore's Convalescent Home in Council Bluffs, the site of a devastating fire in 1957 during which 14 people died. 

† Glassburn, Hugh Stuart, 0-375-826, US Army Air Force, Polk Co.

• b. 19 Feb 1912 Hancock, Pott. Co.; s/o Rev. Hugh Damron Glassburn (b. Allamakee Co.), a Methodist clergyman, & Margaret Jane Grimes (b. Brown Co., OH); the family lived in Wayne Co. in 1920 and Polk Co. in 1930.
• married Irene M. Davidson of Des Moines Jan 1931 in Warren Co., two surviving children; living in Des Moines in 1940.
• entered service 1 Oct 1940 from Des Moines; service credited to Polk Co.; buried 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; d. 24 Aug 1943, crashed near Olympia Army Air Field, Thurston Co., WA; both crew died.

† Glaze, Keith Franklin, SN 20-706-542, US Army, Pott. Co.

• b. 5 Jun 1921 Co. Bluffs; s/o Earl C. Glaze (b. Marion Co., OH) & Jessie M. Byard (b. Wayne Co.).
• entered service with National Guard 10 Feb 1941 from Co. Bluffs; service credited to Pott. Co.; buried Walnut Hill Cem., Co. Bluffs.
• Co. L (Co. Bluffs), 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, both b. and d. Davis Co.
• living at home in 1940; married June J. Ullrich of Atlantic, Cass Co. Sep 1941 in Atlantic, one child.
• entered service 5 Aug 1943 from Atlantic, Cass Co.; service credited to Cass Co.; buried 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 (b. Putnam Co., IN; d. 1919) & Mary "Mae" Carver (b. Davenport, Scott Co.).
• married Lillie M. Chitwood 1914 Scotts Bluff Co., NE, three children; moved to Phoenix, AZ 1920s.
• buried Jefferson Barracks Natl. 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 captured on Wake Island in 1941 and sent to Japan as a forced laborer. Ralph's father spent his childhood in Boomer Twp. and likely a 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, Zed Goodwin.​

† Grage, Glen Edward, SN 37-116-924, US Army, Crawford Co.

• b. 20 Aug 1909 Kirkman, Shelby Co.; s/o Williiam Grage & Caroline M. Grimm, both b. Crawford Co.
• married Bernice A. Vehrs of Manning, Carroll Co. Dec1941 in Crawford Co., one child.
• entered service 8 Mar 1942 from Manilla, Crawford Co.; service credited to Crawford Co.; buried Netherlands American Cem., Margraten, SE of Maastricht, Netherlands.
• Co. B, 311th Inf., 78th Inf. Div., XIX Corps, Ninth Army; KIA 25 Jan 1945 near Simmerath, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
• The ETO > Siegfried Line, 1945 > Roer River Dams.
• Notes: The 78th Inf. Division was ordinarily part of the First Army but because of the Battle of the Bulge was assigned to XIX Corps, Ninth Army from 22 Dec 1944 to 2 Feb 1945.

† Green, Leo Vincent, SN 37-463-951, US Army, Pott. Co.

• b. 22 Jan 1918 Cedar Rapids, Linn Co.; s/o John A. Green (b. Jones Co.) & Hanora R. Wickham (b. Co. Bluffs); family moved to Co. Bluffs in early 1930s.
• enlisted 10 Nov 1942 at Fort Crook, NE; service credited to Pott. Co.; buried St. Joseph Cem., Co. Bluffs.
• unit unknown; d. 29 Oct 1943, Barton General Hospital, 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 (b. Franklin Co., KS; d. 1921) & Effie F. Gregg (b. Cass Co., MO); family moved to Red Oak, Montgomery Co. in early 1930s.
• married Frances M. Frank of Red Oak May 1937 in Council Bluffs, one child.
• entered service 29 Oct 1943 from Red Oak, Montgomery Co.; service credited to Montgomery Co.; buried Netherlands American Cem., Margraten, SE of Maastricht, 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, east 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 (b. Adair Co.) & Mary E. Sheeder (b. Guthrie Co.); family moved to Adel, Dallas Co. in late 1920s and to Harlan, Shelby Co. in early 1930s; parents divorced 1930s.
  
• married Florence Maloy of Oklahoma Aug 1942 in Oklahoma Co., OK, one child.
• entered service 3 Dec 1941 from Harlan, Shelby Co.; service credited to Shelby Co.; group burial Memphis Natl. 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, east of Naples, Italy; hit by Luftwaffe fighters returning from bombing the Foggia airfield complex, Buzzin Bear exploded and broke in two; four died, six POW.
• The MTO > MTO Air War.
• Note: Some information under Gerald Grett's findagrave.com entry was at variance with the above.

​​† ​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 (b. Mondamin, Harrison Co.) & Ruth H. McMullen (b. Jackson Co., MO; d. 1942).
• married Joan M. Vittetoe Nov 1942 in Burlington, Des Moines Co.
• entered service 18 Jan 1943 from Burlington, Des Moines Co.; service credited to Des Moines Co.; body not recovered; memorialized Tablets of the Missing, Cambridge American Cem., Coton, Cambridgeshire.
• 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 with pilot Robert C. Bruce; KIA 3 Jun 1944; aircraft last seen heading to the coast through a flak zone.
• The ETO > ETO Air War > Ninth Air Force.

† 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.
• married Agnes Cress of Harrison Co., one child, divorced; married Tillie M. Kennedy.
• entered service 29 Mar 1941 from Estherville, Emmet Co.; service credited to Freeborn Co., MN where he was earlier employed; body not recovered; memorialized Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cem., Luzon, Philippines.
• 279th Replacement Co., 21st Replacement Depot (Infantry); KIA 10/11 Feb 1945 off east 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 died.
• Philippines Liberated > Philippines Naval War.

† Gustafson, Dale Eldon, SN 19-127-645, US Army Air Force, Pott. Co. & Los Angeles Co., CA

• b. 19 Aug 1921 Co. Bluffs; s/o Carl E. Gustafson (b. Montgomery Co.) & Ethel G. Harold (b. Gage Co., NE; d. 1929). 
• living in Los Angeles Co., CA before entering service; married Bette J. (Dorscher) Fell, an Oakland, Pott. Co. native, in 1944.
• entered service 7 Sep 1942 from Co. Bluffs at Los Angeles Co., CA; service credited to Los Angeles Co., CA; body not recovered; memorialized Tablets of the Missing, Cambridge American Cem., Coton, Cambridgeshire, England.
• 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, aircraft lost during training flight.
• The ETO > ETO Air War > Eighth Air Force.

 † 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, both b. Harrison Co.
• married Frances A. Rothenay of rural Missouri Valley, Harrison Co. Jan 1944 in Omaha, one child.
• entered service 12 Jun 1944 from Woodbine, Harrison Co.; service credited to Harrison Co; buried Henri-Chapelle American Cem., Verviers, SE of 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.

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