World War II Honoree

Gerald Kenneth Gentis

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Jenks, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

SERVED AS A 19-YEAR OLD B-17 'FLYING FORTRESS' TAIL GUNNER AND 'TOGGLIER' IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 548TH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (HEAVY), 385TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP, 8TH AIR FORCE. AS AN AIRCRAFT GUNNER, MANNED A MACHINE GUN POSITION IN FLIGHT, INFORMED THE CREW OF APPROACHING ENEMY PLANES, AND ENGAGED ATTACKING AIRCRAFT. AS A 'TOGGLIER,' OPENED BOMB BAY DOORS, PULLED THE PINS ON THE FUZES, AND RELEASED THE BOMBS IN COORDINATION WITH THE BOMBARDIER. STATIONED AT RAF GREAT ASHFIELD (AAF-155) IN ENGLAND. HIS UNIT WAS ENGAGED IN STRATEGIC BOMBING OF MARSHALLING YARDS, OIL REFINERIES, AIRFIELDS, AND AIRCRAFT PLANTS. HIS UNIT ATTACKED GERMAN LINES OF COMMUNICATIONS AND FORTIFICATIONS DURING THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. HIS FIRST MISSION, ON CHRISTMAS EVE, 1944, CAME 8 DAYS AFTER THE GERMAN ARDENNES COUNTEROFFENSIVE BEGAN. DURING THIS PERIOD, HE FLEW DAYLIGHT, HIGH ALTITUDE, PRECISION BOMBING MISSIONS AGAINST LARGE NUMBERS OF GERMAN TANK FORMATIONS AROUND BASTOGNE, BELGIUM. THEN TOOK PART IN A LARGE MISSION TO BOMB THE TEMPELHOF MARSHALLING YARD IN BERLIN, GERMANY ON FEBRUARY 3, 1945. HIS AIRCRAFT WAS ONE OF 1,003 B-17 BOMBERS AND 613 ESCORT P-51 FIGHTERS SENT ON THE BERLIN MISSION. THE MISSION, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED AGAINST SIGNIFICANT ENEMY OPPOSITION AND IN MARGINAL WEATHER, RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF 23 B-17 AND 7 P-51 AIRCRAFT. HIS UNIT LATER BOMBED TROOP CONCENTRATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS CENTERS IN GERMANY AND FRANCE IN MARCH-APRIL, 1945 TO ASSIST IN THE FINAL PUSH INTO GERMANY. PARTICIPATED IN THE RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE), AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. FLEW 30 COMBAT MISSIONS OVER EUROPE. RECALLS THE COLD TEMPERATURES AT HIGH MISSION ALTITUDES (BETWEEN 28,000 TO 30,000 FEET) WHICH COULD RANGE BETWEEN 70-90 DEGREES BELOW ZERO. THE SHEEPSKIN-LINED FLIGHT CLOTHING WAS NOT WARM AT THOSE ALTITUDES AND IT WAS ONLY LATER THAT ELECTRIC-POWERED FLIGHT SUITS WERE PROVIDED. PARTICULARLY TROUBLESOME WAS KEEPING FINGERS AND TOES WARM IN SUCH COLD. AFTER THE ALLIED VICTORY IN EUROPE (V-E DAY), FLEW FOOD DELIVERY MISSIONS TO HOLLAND AND WAS ENGAGED IN THE RELOCATION OF GERMAN PRISONERS OF WAR IN THEATER. AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RANK OF STAFF SERGEANT AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.