World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
Finney W. Gordon
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Tulsa County, Oklahoma
Honored By
Orville L. Kline
RANK: STAFF SERGEANT. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY AIR CORPS NOVEMBER 27, 1942 AT TULSA, OKLAHOMA. SERVED AS A DOUGLAS C-47 ‘SKYTRAIN’ TRANSPORT FLIGHT ENGINEER/CREW CHIEF ASSIGNED TO THE 95TH TROOP CARRIER SQUADRON, 440TH TROOP CARRIER GROUP, IX TROOP CARRIER COMMAND, A COMPONENT UNIT OF THE 9TH AIR FORCE STATIONED AT THE ROYAL AIR FORCE BOTTESFORD FIELD, U.S. ARMY AIRFIELD STATION #481, ENGLAND. KILLED IN ACTION ALONG WITH 3 OTHER CREWMEMBERS AND 18 PARATROOPERS, ASSIGNED TO I-COMPANY, 3RD BATTALION, 506TH PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT IN THE DARK, EARLY MORNING HOURS, 01:40 ON D-DAY, TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 1944 DURING THE BATTLE OF NORMANDY, THE INVASION OF GERMANY’S FORTRESS EUROPE, CODE NAME: OPERATION OVERLORD. HIS AIRCRAFT WAS SHOT DOWN BY GERMAN MACHINE GUN FIRE AND ARTILLERY FLAK BEFORE IT REACHED THE DESIGNATED DROP ZONE-D LOCATED AT ANGOVILLE-AU-PLAIN, CRASHING NEAR MAGNEVILLE, NORTH OF ORGLANDES ON THE FRENCH COTENTIN PENINSULA. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES, HIS REMAINS WERE RETURNED TO OKLAHOMA, WITH INTERMENT IN A PRIVATE CEMETERY. DECORATIONS AND MEDALS: PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION, CITATION OF HONOR AND THE PURPLE HEART.