P/O Nelson Edward Gilboe, RCAF

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georgetanksherman
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P/O Nelson Edward Gilboe, RCAF

Post by georgetanksherman » Sun Sep 11, 2022 4:54 pm

What I love about researching Americans that crossed the border into Canada to join the fight before the U.S. joined in, is that there are stories out there that need to be read, to Honor and Remember our Warriors from the past. This is just one of those stories among many ! Some of you might already have heard this story ... But, for those who have not .....

P/O Nellson Edward Gilboe, Born: Windsor, Ontario - Died: Detroit, Michigan, went through Flight Training in Canada, sent to England, then on to the desert assigned to RAF No. 260 Squadron flying the (P-40) Kittyhawk AK891, on August 4, 1942, his aircraft failed to return from an operational flight over El Alamein, Egypt. But that is not where the story ends !

From his friend Red Scholefield:

December 2, 1997
A modeling friend passes on.

NELSON EDWARD GILBOE - AMA 100125
Born April 28, 1922 Windsor Ontario, Canada, Died Dec 2, 1997 Westland, MI, USA Canadian Fighter Pilot who downed Germany's Top Ace (Hauptmann Hans Joachim Marseille, credited with 158 victories) in WWII

1942 - Assigned to duty in North Africa flying RCAF P40F
He had two kills to his credit when his P-40 mid-aired Germany's top ace flying an ME109 , killing Hans Joachim Marseille and bailing out with minor injuries to himself. He was officially credited with 3 enemy planes include Marseille. Gilboe was 19 years old at the time.

The action against Marseille took place in Nov. about the 3rd (the German report of September is inaccurate; also Marseille's ME109 exploded, so the German report of the ace's parachute failing to open, is true in the respect that Marseille never had a chance to pull the rip-cord.)

Nelson Gilboe was immediately captured by Italians and turned over to the German Infantry. He was imprisoned in Stalag Luft III, about 60 miles southeast of Berlin. He was liberated at Lübeck, Germany by the advancing British troops in May 1945.

And another good story, written by himself:

https://www.oocities.org/vienna/5373/gi ... iaries.htm

May this Warrior R.I.P. and ALWAYS Be Remembered !
These users commended the author georgetanksherman for the post:
Temujin (Sun Sep 11, 2022 5:50 pm)

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