Gene W White (1920 - 1943)

Born 1920 in Illinois

Died 1 Aug 1943 at about age 23 in Ploiești, Prahova, Romania

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Terry Poole [send private message]

Biography

Gene White was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States).

Gene White was awarded the Purple Heart.

Gene White was awarded the Air Medal.

Sergeant Gene White served in the United States Army Air Forces in World War II
Service started: 15 Jul 1941
Unit(s): 409th Bombardment Squadron, 93rd Bombardment Group, Ninth Air Force
Service ended: 1 Aug 1943

Sergeant Gene White was Killed in Action when shot down by a Romanian fighter over Ploesti during World War II.

Gene was killed in action on 1 August 1943 when the B-24 Bomber, 'Jose Carioca', he was a gunner on was shot down by a Romanian IAR 80 fighter and crashed into the Ploesti women's prison. There were no survivors from the crew. The bomber was part of Operation Tidal Wave a low level bombing mission against the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for the mission.

• 1930 - Rock Island, Rock Island Township, Rock Island, Illinois, United States.^[1]
• 1940 - Pleasant Valley Township, Scott, Iowa, United States.^[2]

Find A Grave: Memorial #56361588

Research Note

Gene's birth surname may not be White. The 1930 census lists him as the step son of JH White (Terry Poole)

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X3M9-KNJ : accessed 31 January 2021), Eugene White in household of J H White, Rock Island, Rock Island Township, Rock Island, Illinois, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 92, sheet 1A, line 16, family 5, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 553; FHL microfilm 2,340,288.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMBR-HQC : 6 January 2021), Eugene White in household of Joseph H White, Pleasant Valley Township, Scott, Iowa, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 82-79, sheet 17A, line 18, family 348, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 1203.

• Iowans Finish Five Weeks' Training as Air Force Gunners, The Daily Times, Davenport, Iowa, 23 Nov 1942, Mon • Page 5
• CONFIRMS DEATH OF ROCK ISLANDER REPORTED MISSING, Quad-City Times, Davenport, Iowa, 25 Oct 1943, Mon • Page 13
• Posthumous Award of Flying Cross to Local Youth, The Daily Times, Davenport, Iowa, 16 Feb 1944, Wed • Page 19
• American Air Museum in Britain - Gene White
• American Battle Monument Commission - Gene W. White