World War II Honoree

Carl Wilbur Gerding

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

St. Louis, Missouri

Honored By

Steven C. Gerding

Relationship

Son

ENTERED ACTIVE DUTY AT JEFFERSON BARRACKS, ST. LOUIS, ON 26 SEPTEMBER 1942. AFTER COMPLETING BASIC TRAINING, HE TRAVELED TO LAS VEGAS, WHERE HE SERVED FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS IN THE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES AS A MECHANIC AND CREW CHIEF. HE MAINTAINED SEVERAL TYPES OF AIRCRAFT, INCLUDING THE AT-6, B-17 AND B-26. THE BOMBERS WERE USED EITHER AS TARGET-TOWING TUGS OR AS PLATFORMS FOR GUNNERY TRAINING. TOWARD THE END OF THE WAR, HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO CHANUTE FIELD, ILLINOIS, FOR ADVANCED TRAINING ON THE B-29 AIRCRAFT. HE WAS STATIONED AT CHANUTE WHEN THE WAR IN THE PACIFIC ENDED, JUST WEEKS BEFORE HE WOULD HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED FOR SERVICE IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS. HE WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED AT JEFFERSON BARRACKS.