World War II Honoree

Gerald G. Gille

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Springfield, Ohio

Honored By

Ms. Elizabeth Gille

Relationship

Wife

ON 18TH MISSION ON APRIL 8, 1944, WAS SHOT DOWN WHILE FLYING AS A NAVIGATOR ON THE 67TH SQUAD FLIGHT. HELPED OTHER SOLDIERS OUT OF THE FALLEN PLANE, BEFORE HE PARACHUTED OUT HIMSELF. WITH 30MM SHELL FRAGMENTS IN RIGHT ANKLE, PARACHUTED OUTSKIRTS OF HANOVER, GERMANY. CAPTURED BY GERMANS AND BECAME A POW. BECAME U.S. COMMANDING OFFICER OF DULAG LUFT, FOR FOUR MONTHS. THEN ADJUTANT TO COLONEL CHARLES STARK FOR EIGHT MONTHS. RATHER THAN BE MARCHED INTO DEEP GERMANY, HE BRAVELY ESCAPED POW CAMP, BEFORE EASTER 1945, KNOWING HE WOULD BE SHOT IF HE WAS CAUGHT ESCAPING. MET U.S. TROOPS AT REMAGEN BRIDGE. HAD TO CONVINCE GENERAL QUESADA HE WAS AN AMERICAN OFFICER. FLEW TO PARIS, INTERROGATED FOR 6 DAYS BY COUNTER INTELLIGENCE CORPS, SPENT 10 DAYS LEAVE IN ENGLAND, THEN BY BOAT TO THE U.S. HE RECEIVED THE PURPLE HEART AND BRONZE STAR FOR HIS HEROIC ACTS IN POW CAMP, SAVING MANY LIVES BY CONVINCING GERMAN SOLDIERS TO CONTACT RED CROSS FOR FOOD AND CLEANING SUPPLIES, SINCE THE CAPTURED U.S. SOLDIERS WERE STARVING AND CONDITIONS WERE FILTHY.