World War II Honoree

Gerald R. Palmer

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Maugansville, Maryland

Honored By

Gerald R. Palmer

BORN IN WOLFSVILLE, MARYLAND. COMPLETED ARMY AIR FORCES GUNNERY SCHOOL, TYNDALL FIELD, FLORIDA. COMPLETED B-17 HEAVY COMBAT CREW TRAINING SCHOOL, 'E' FLIGHT, CREW NUMBER 4132, SIOUX CITY, IOWA. EUROPEAN THEATRE OF OPERATIONS DESTINATION; 364TH BOMB SQUADRON, 305TH BOMB GROUP, CHELVESTON, ENGLAND. FLEW HIS FIRST OF 37 MISSIONS AS A BALL TURRET OPERATOR, JULY 17, 1944. LAST MISSION, JANUARY 3, 1945. B-17 NAMES: 'COKI HI', 'LEADING LADY' AND 'THUNDER MUG'. HE WAS AWARDED EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN WITH FOUR BRONZE BATTLE STARS, DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, AIR MEDAL WITH THREE BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTERS AND EUROPEAN VICTORY MEDAL. BATTLES AND CAMPAIGNS: NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, ARDENNES AND RHINELAND. A PLAQUE HONORING PALMER AND CREW IS LOCATED IN THE HALL OF HONOR AT GRISSON AIR MUSEUM, INDIANA, THE HOME OF THE 305TH BOMB GROUP. ALSO A MEMBER OF THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS SOCIETY.