1LT. Gerald Miller Donnovan was a Pilot with the 310th Bombardment Group; 381st Bombardment Squadron; Stationed in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, (MTO).

His Hometown was Corning, Tehama County, California.

Thursday, 9 September 1943
381st BS War Diary: The Italian coast just South of Salerno is being invaded by the U.S. 5th Army, after yesterday’s announcement of Italy’s surrender. F/O Jones took off on a mission to Cairo, Egypt, armed with 100,000 francs. Objective: To purchase liquor for the Squadron Officers’ Club. From today’s mission to Potenza M/Y’s, Italy, Lt. Donnovan’s aircraft is missing. Other members of the crew are: 2nd Lt. Burris, Co-Pilot; S/Sgt. Rogers, Bombardier; T/Sgt. Dittmar, Radio-Gunner; and S/Sgt. Bowden, Turret Gunner. Had they returned, S/Sgts. Bowden and Rogers would have completed their 50th missions. T/Sgt. Dittmar was on his 49th mission. S/Sgt. Frank L. Grossi completed his 50th.

381st BS Mission Summary: (Ops Order ---/mission ---)
Group Mission # : POTENZA MARSHALLING YARDS, ITALY, Menzel Temime,
9 September 43
Sqdrn. Mission # 116
Group Mission # 154
Take Off 07:50
Flight 54 B-25’s
Target 10:30
Escort: None
Down 12:48
Bomb Load: 6 x 500
Total Time: 4 Hrs. 58 Min.
Bombs Dropped: 16(6 x 500), 48,000#
Total Sorties: 841
Average Altitude 11,400 Weather: CAVU with haze.
STRATEGY: To cut German rail communication lines as the Allied landing in the Gulf of Salerno, 40 miles South of Naples, continues.

REMARKS: The aircraft piloted by Lts. Denton, Donnovan and Therrien were hit by slight very accurate flak from the R.R. and roads. Lt. Donnovan feathered his right engine and salvoed his bombs. His aircraft was last seen at 10:15, under control at approximately 15° 38’ E - 40° 22’ N. Four of our aircraft landed near Palermo on the return trip to refuel or check flak damage. No enemy fighter interception.

381st BS War Diary: Casualty Report:

From a mission to Potenza Marshalling Yards, Italy, on 9 September 1943, an aircraft failed to return. It’s crew:

1st Lt. Gerald M. Donnovan, Pilot
2nd Lt. James W. Burris, Co-Pilot
S/Sgt. Leo C. Rogers, Bombardier
T/Sgt. Francis A. Dittmar, Radio-Gunner
S/Sgt. Scott T. Bowden, Turret-Gunner

His right engine hit by very accurate light flak while approaching the target, Lt. Donnovan peeled out of formation, feathered the right propeller, and salvoed his bombs. His aircraft was last seen at 10:15 hours under control, at a position approximately 15° 38’ E - 40° 22’ N. No parachutes were seen to open. Further information is not available.

381st BS: Extracts from Missing Air Crew Report # 643: The office of the Quartermaster General, Army Service Forces notified 1st Lt. J.W. Burris in August 1945 of the investigation report prepared by James M. Stribling CWO, AUS. This report stated that the B-25, Ser. No. 42-64594 in attempting to land in a field near Sanza, Italy, struck a clump of trees, crashed to the ground and exploded, killing and burning all except Lt. Burris.

A/C B-25C; Serial No. 42-64594; MACR-643; - shot down by AAA)
P Donnovan, Gerald M., 2Lt - MIA, KIA
CP Burris, James W., 2Lt - MIA, EUS
N None
B Rogers, Leo C., S/Sgt - MIA, KIA
E None R Dittmar, Francis A., T/Sgt - MIA, KIA
G Bowden, Scott T., S/Sgt - MIA, KIA
F None

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Eyewitness Account: Burris, James W., 2Lt, 381st BS

HEADQUARTERS AAF REDISTRIBUTION STATION NO. 2 Miami Beach, Florida
CASUALTY INFORMATION REPORT FOR THE ADJUTANT GENERAL’S OFFICE

SOURCE: 2nd Lt. James W. Burris
INTERROGATION OFFICER :
UNIT: 381 Bomb Sq. 310 Bomb Gp.
THEODORE J. MIRATT. Major, Air Corps
DATE OF MISSION: 9 September 1943
Chief, Intelligence Division.

TYPE AIRCRAFT: B-25
DATE OF INTERROGATION: 27 May 1944
KNOWN INFORMATION: Target - Potenza (Italy) Marshalling Yards.
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While going in on target on 9 September 1943, plane was hit by flak -- miles N.W. of Potenza. Right engine knocked out. Prop was feathered and plane left formation. Bombs were jettisoned. Plane was turned about and headed for base in North Africa. Plane lost altitude and was ditched about 100 feet off shore near cape due west of Sapri, Italy. Source was wounded by flak but thinks no others were.

A boat containing an Italian Carbinieri was in the vicinity and four of the crew were taken aboard at once.

Source states that in addition to himself, there was Donnovan and Rogers on the boat but that the fourth man was in the rear of the boat and his vision was blurred by his injuries and he is unable to identify him. They were taken to Sapri. Three of the men, Donnovan, Rogers and the unidentified were taken to police station and source taken to hospital where he went into a coma with periodic conscientiousness. Source remained in hospital until Germans evacuated the locality, and advancing British 8th Army troops found him in hospital. Source states that the last he saw of other three crew members were at police station in Sapri, and they all appeared in good shape.

It is the opinion of source that Donnovan and Rogers and third crew member were not seriously injured up to the time he left them and that he distinctly remembers seeing them hop out of the ambulance at police station although consideration must be given to the fact that source was seriously wounded and bound and things were generally blurred to him.

Source states that it is possible that fifth member of crew might possibly have hidden and gone ashore to escape capture. This man would be Bowden or Dittmar

Gerald M Donnovan