Gard served as a Technical Sergeant & Radio Operator / Gunner on B-24J "Heavenly Body" #42-73116, 528th Bomber Squadron, 380th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Corp during World War II.
He resided in San Mateo County, California prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on March 20, 1943 in San Francisco, California. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being Single, without dependents.
Gard was declared "Missing In Action" when his B-24 developed engine problems for an unknown reason and crashed into the South China Sea during the war. He was awarded the Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters and the Purple Heart.
Service # 39127978
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-24J #42-73116:
Brown, Peter ~ Pfc, Gunner, PA
Brunette, Norman D ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, TX
Groce, Gard D, Jr ~ T/Sgt, Radio Operator, CA
Ortman, Carl E, Jr ~ 2nd Lt, Pilot, MD
Shannon, Charles A ~ Sgt, Photographer, GA
St Martin, Ronald A ~ Sgt, Gunner, MA
The rest of the crew were rescued in the sea.
( Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He resided in San Mateo County, California prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on March 20, 1943 in San Francisco, California. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being Single, without dependents.
Gard was declared "Missing In Action" when his B-24 developed engine problems for an unknown reason and crashed into the South China Sea during the war. He was awarded the Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters and the Purple Heart.
Service # 39127978
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-24J #42-73116:
Brown, Peter ~ Pfc, Gunner, PA
Brunette, Norman D ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, TX
Groce, Gard D, Jr ~ T/Sgt, Radio Operator, CA
Ortman, Carl E, Jr ~ 2nd Lt, Pilot, MD
Shannon, Charles A ~ Sgt, Photographer, GA
St Martin, Ronald A ~ Sgt, Gunner, MA
The rest of the crew were rescued in the sea.
( Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gard served as a Technical Sergeant & Radio Operator / Gunner on B-24J "Heavenly Body" #42-73116, 528th Bomber Squadron, 380th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Corp during World War II.
He resided in San Mateo County, California prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on March 20, 1943 in San Francisco, California. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being Single, without dependents.
Gard was declared "Missing In Action" when his B-24 developed engine problems for an unknown reason and crashed into the South China Sea during the war. He was awarded the Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters and the Purple Heart.
Service # 39127978
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-24J #42-73116:
Brown, Peter ~ Pfc, Gunner, PA
Brunette, Norman D ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, TX
Groce, Gard D, Jr ~ T/Sgt, Radio Operator, CA
Ortman, Carl E, Jr ~ 2nd Lt, Pilot, MD
Shannon, Charles A ~ Sgt, Photographer, GA
St Martin, Ronald A ~ Sgt, Gunner, MA
The rest of the crew were rescued in the sea.
( Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He resided in San Mateo County, California prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on March 20, 1943 in San Francisco, California. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being Single, without dependents.
Gard was declared "Missing In Action" when his B-24 developed engine problems for an unknown reason and crashed into the South China Sea during the war. He was awarded the Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters and the Purple Heart.
Service # 39127978
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-24J #42-73116:
Brown, Peter ~ Pfc, Gunner, PA
Brunette, Norman D ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, TX
Groce, Gard D, Jr ~ T/Sgt, Radio Operator, CA
Ortman, Carl E, Jr ~ 2nd Lt, Pilot, MD
Shannon, Charles A ~ Sgt, Photographer, GA
St Martin, Ronald A ~ Sgt, Gunner, MA
The rest of the crew were rescued in the sea.
( Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
