Max G. Gunsolley

Staff Sergeant

United States Army Air Forces

Max G. Gunnsolley, the youngest son of Gerald and Ruth Gunnsolley, was born in Iowa circa 1923.

He graduated from Burlington (Iowa) High School in 1942 and worked at Rayer’s Conoco station.

Max married the former Joan Vittetoe in Burlington.

Max entered the United States Army Air Forces on 25 January 1943.  He took mechanic training at Gulfport Field, Mississippi and gunnery training at Kingman, Arizona.  In March 1944, Max felt for the European Theater of Operations, where he was assigned to the 9th Army Air Force Bomber Base.  There he was assigned as an aerial gunner of a twin engine Havoc in the A-20 light bombardment group.  He was part of an aircrew which participated in round the clock bombings.  In preparation of the D-Day invasion, Max and his fellow crewmen took part on a mission near Chartres, France on 3 June 1944.  On the return trip home, the aircraft was last seen at 2046 hours (8:46 p.m.) over the English Channel after having passed through an area of heavy flak.  In a 6 June 1945 War Department telegram, Joan was informed that Max’s status was changed from Missing-In-Action to Killed-In-Action.

Max was survived by his wife and father.

Staff Sergeant Max G. Gunsolley, United States Army, is on the Tablets of the Missing at Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, England.

Among his awards and decorations is the Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart.

Source of information:

1.  The Burlington Hawk-Eye Gazette, 3 July 1944, page 2.

2.  The Burlington Hawk-Eye Gazette, 7 June 1945, page 2.

3.  American Battle Monuments Commission web site; http://www.abmc.gov/

4.  National World War II Memorial veteran’s registry; http://www.wwiimemorial.com

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