1st Lt Francis Thomas Gillespie O&803969
508th Fighter Squadron, 404th Fighter Group, 9th Airforce, USAAF
Summary
He was born on 22nd of October 1919 in St Louis, Missouri, third of five siblings . His father was a lawyer, originally from New Jersey.
Schooled at the St Louis University High School his yearbook entry suggests that he was academic rather than sporty.
His mother died in 1935 his father in 1942.
His Draft registration card from 1st of July 1941 gives an address in Pearl Avenue, Kirkwood, St Louis. He is described as a student at the National Defence Training School, 5ft 8, 152lb, blue eyes, brown hair, and a ruddy complexion.
Early Life
He was born on 22nd of October 1919 in St Louis, Missouri third of five siblings. His father was a lawyer, originally from New Jersey.
Schooled at the St Louis University High School his yearbook entry suggests that he was academic rather than sporty.
His mother died in 1935 his father in 1942.
His Draft registration card from 1st of July 1941 gives an address in Pearl Avenue, Kirkwood, St Louis. He is described as a student at the National Defence Training School, 5ft 8, 152lb, blue eyes, brown hair, and a ruddy complexion.
Service Life
[See Gillespie in P47 Thunderbolt]
Online records say that Gillespie enlisted on the 15th of July 1941 after 1 year of college.
Awarded first and second oakleaf cluster on 24th of June 1944, a third followed on the 6th of July.
Time in Normandy
Gillespie served in the 508th Fighter Squadron, one of 3 Squadrons that made up the 404th Fighter Group – Elledge flew in one of the other squadrons, the 506th.
[See the 508th Squadron Insignia]
He was captured on 18th July 1944. Taking off from site 5 via Carentan on a mission to dive bomb an observation post six miles East of Périers which could not be found in the hazy conditions.
Gillespie was the wingman of Edward Martin Selkregg Jnr, from Erie, Pennsylvania who was leading the attack, Selkregg states that they encountered the flak two miles north of Périers. Gillespie was hit and flames shot out behind the cockpit. The next he saw was the aircraft spiralling down and crashing.
Gillespie was seen parachuting at three or four hundred feet out by another member of the flight 1st Lt Charles (Chuck) Hobson Viccellio from Virginia – who states that Gillespie was hit at about four and a half miles southeast of Lessay (sadly Viccellio would die shortly afterwards – on the 26th of July of wounds received on the 24th).
The MACR (missing aircrew report) describes the position as Le Bocages. It was not until the 15th of November that the squadron had confirmation that Gillespie was a prisoner of war.
PoW Life
Initially Gillespie was taken to what was known as the Nunnery (a.k.a. the Monastery or Starvation Hill) at La Chappelle sur Vire. Here he met the parachutists Sheppard and Willen. Elledge joined them the following day. On the 20th this foursome escaped from the Nunnery. With the help of locals, they evaded for several days. Initially moving south and east reaching Mesnil Clinchamps before turning north towards Caen at Vire. According to Elledge they were recaptured on the 28th a kilometre or so through Villers Bocage. Held overnight in a barn, Harder was brought to join them the next day before they were moved on to “the Shed.” This period and the subsequent journey to Germany is described in some detail in the manuscript written by Elledge.
[link to further on evasion] ?
Gillespie is listed as at Moosburg – Stalag VII-A. The NARA listing suggests he was assigned to work camps 334-46 Kumbachstrasse 48011, and 3368 Munich 48-11. As an airman it is likely that Gillespie was at a Stalag Luft before being here – several the pilots known to be at Luft III with Elledge are also only shown as at Moosburg in the NARA records.
Moosburg camp was liberated on the 29th of April 1945.
Post War
The online veteran death records suggest he was discharged in December 1946 (this may be an official date and that he was effectively released earlier).
Despite being the only one of the men spoken to directly we know little of his life thereafter.
He died on the 1st of August 2004 and is buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.
Research Done
Other Links
Gillespie signature and in P47 Thunderbolt [return to info]
Gillespie school yearbook photo [return to info]
508th Fighter Squadron Insignia [return to info]
Gillespie Missing Air Crew Report [return to info]
Gillespie returning PoW form [return to info]
