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Edward Francis GILLESPIE
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Source : Arnaud Gaté
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| NUMBER OF SERVICE | Z-445835 | ||||||
| AGE | 26 yo | ||||||
| DATE OF BIRTH | 17 August 1917 Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OHIO | ||||||
| ENLISTMENT STATE | OHIO | ||||||
| FAMILY |
Parents : Michael J & Florence L McKinney GILLESPIE Siblings : Mary Loyola (Mary Elizabeth) | ||||||
| RANK | Merchant Seaman | ||||||
| FONCTION | |||||||
| JOB BEFORE ENLISTEMENT |  | ||||||
| DATE of ENLISTEMENT | |||||||
| COMPANY | Company | ||||||
| ARMY | U.S. Merchant Marine | ||||||
| DATE OF DEATH | 30 October 1944 |
Source : F Lavernhe | |||||
| STATUS | KIA | ||||||
| PLACE OF DEATH | |||||||
| CEMETERY TEMPORARY |
CEMETERY TEMPORARY of Sainte Mère Eglise #2 N°3586
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| CEMETERY | NORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY of Colleville | ||||||
| GRAVE |
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| DECORATION |
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| STORY | |||||||
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Source : Timothy Gillespie |
Edward High School Graduation
Source : Timothy Gillespie | ||||||
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On the night of the 30th of October 1944, Gillespie was a passenger onboard a transportation flight from Villacoublay (close to Paris) to Querqueville, (close to Cherbourg). He was flying with ten others on a Douglas C-47 Skytrain #43-48592. Due to an electrical fault and lousy weather, the aircraft was following a German radar beam directly to German Occupied island of Jersey. The pilot believed that flak fire from the German Anti-Aircraft Batteries was accidental US friendly fire. The C-47 fired identification flares, however, moments later, the C-47 was downed by the German guns. Due to the low altitude, The C-47 ditched into the sea north to Bouley Bay. They survived the landing, but heavy sea conditions resulted in the drowning of all but the pilot. | |||||||
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Letter to brother Robert shortly before death
Source : Timothy Gillespie | |||||||
| SOURCE INFORMATION & SOURCE PHOTO | Arnaud Gaté - Findagrave.com - Abmc.gov |
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| PROGRAMMER | Henri, Garrett, Clive, Frédéric & Renaud |