| Name | Grams, Melvin Joseph ‡ |
| Rank | Corporal / Staff Sergeant |
| Serial Number | 37578218 ‡ |
| Unit Assignments | Assigned to the 546th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #146 dated 24 July 1944, effective 24 July 1944. |
| Duty | Flexible Gunner |
| MOS | 611 - Aerial Gunner |
| Last Duty Date | 25 October 1944 |
| Results | Wounded In Action |
| Decorations | Awarded the Silver Star for 'gallantry in action' during a mission over enemy territory on 12 September 1944.
Awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received on 12 September 1944 per General Orders #343, Headquarters 1st Bomb Division dated 19 September 1944. |
| Citation For Higher Decoration | SILVER STAR. MELVIN J. GRAMS, Sergeant, Army Air Forces, United States Army. For gallantry in action while on a bombardment mission over enemy territory, 12 September 1944. Serving as a tail gunner on a Flying Fortress, Sergeant Grams received a severe bullet wound in his left foot when his plane was attacked by enemy fighters. Momentarily knocked unconscious, and suffering intense pain, he regained his position, and by sheer determination and will-power, fought off two more attacks. Still refusing to leave his guns, Sergeant Grams then applied a tourniquet to his leg and for more than an hour remained on the alert. Not until they had crossed into friendly territory could he be persuaded to leave his guns and receive emergency medical attention. The fortitude, zealous devotion to duty and indomitable fighting spirit displayed by Sergeant Grams, inspired his fellow crewmen and contributed to their safe return. Entered military service from Minnesota. Citation Source: 'As Briefed...' |
| Additional Information |
|
| Photo Album: | Crew Photo Album⇗ |
| CREWMEMBER | POSITION | RESULTS |
|---|---|---|
| Flt. Ofcr. Plowman, Noel Elwin⇗ | Pilot | KIA |
| Flt. Ofcr. Ferguson, Lawrence Winston, "Winston"⇗ | Co-pilot | KIA |
| 1st Lt. Pommer, Edwin Bernard⇗ | Navigator | CT |
| 2nd Lt. Hart, Carl Johnston⇗ | Bombardier | KIA |
| CPL. Maxa, Gordon Raymond⇗ | Radio Operator / Gunner | KIA |
| CPL. Cameron, Robert Allen⇗ | Engineer / Top Turret Gunner | POW |
| CPL. Oliva, Armando (NMI)⇗ | Ball Turret Gunner | POW |
| CPL. Grams, Melvin Joseph | Flexible Gunner | WIA |
| CPL. Anderson, Frank Julius⇗ | Flexible Gunner | POW |
| SGT. Miller, Orus Denvil⇗ | Flexible Gunner | CT |
| Number | Date | Target | Position | Aircraft | Mission/Sortie Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 171⇗ | 4 August 1944 |
Target: Rocket Research & Development Complex Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Peenemünde, Germany |
Tail Gunner | 42‑97251⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Lead Group Hot Camera Ship. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 173⇗ | 5 August 1944 |
Target: Luftwaffe Controlling Station Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Langenhagen, Germany |
Tail Gunner | 44‑6105⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit High section deputy, high group. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 177⇗ | 11 August 1944 |
Target: Tactical: Coastal Artillery Emplacements Type: Military Location: Brest, France |
Tail Gunner | 42‑107058⇗ |
Aborted Mission After Taking Off High group flying spare. Turned back because he couldn't locate formation. A contributing factor was a broken radiocompass antenna. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 178⇗ | 12 August 1944 |
Target: "Landing Ground" Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: La Perthe, France |
Tail Gunner | 42‑102500⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Low group. Landed with #3 feathered. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 180⇗ | 14 August 1944 |
Target: Echterdingen Airdrome Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Stuttgart, Germany |
Tail Gunner | 43‑37822⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Lead group. Originally assigned to Johnstone as low group flying spare; replaced 42‑97251. Apparently this was due to the limited availability of ground spares. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 181⇗ | 16 August 1944 |
Target: Delitzsch Air Field and Air Equipment Depot Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Delitzsch, Germany |
Tail Gunner | 42‑107121⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗ |
| 182⇗ | 18 August 1944 |
Target: Tactical: Bridge Type: Transportation Location: Vise, Belgium |
Tail Gunner | 42‑97309⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit High group flying spare; joined formation. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 185⇗ | 26 August 1944 |
Target: Buer Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany |
Tail Gunner | 42‑102500⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Low group. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 187⇗ | 3 September 1944 |
Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works Type: Industry Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany |
Tail Gunner | 42‑102500⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗ |
| 190⇗ | 9 September 1944 |
Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works Type: Industry Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany |
Tail Gunner | 42‑39888⇗ |
Aborted Mission After Taking Off This crew replaced original aircraft (42‑38014) with 42‑39888, apparently displacing the Sienkiewicz Crew. Aborted due to oxygen failure. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 191⇗ | 10 September 1944 |
Target: BMW Motor Component Parts Plant Type: Industry Location: Sindelfingen, Germany |
Tail Gunner | 42‑102933⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗ |
| 193⇗ | 12 September 1944 |
Target: Synthetic Oil Plant Type: Oil Industry Location: Brüx, Czechoslovakia |
Tail Gunner | 42‑102500⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Landed with wounded aboard. Sortie Report⇗ |