This Military Service Page was created/owned by
A3C Michael Bell (Unit Historian)
to remember
St. Hilaire, Gerard P., 2nd Lt.
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Contact Info
Home Town Lewiston, ME
Last Address Laconia, NH
Date of Passing Jun 10, 2010
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Last Known Activity:
From Patriot Guard Riders:
It is with a heavy heart that I post another of the Greatest Generation has left us. Gerard P. St Hilaire, WWII Veteran US, Army Air Corps Pilot, has passed away on his 88th birthday (June 10) at the Veteran's Home in Tilton, NH. Gerard was with the 459th Bomb Group, and 756th Bomb Squadron. He was actually shot down over Czechoslovakia on his 27th mission.
His family has invited the Patriot Guard Riders to stand for this Hero at his final formation.
LACONIA -- Gerard P. St. Hilaire, 88, died June 10, 2010, at New Hampshire Veterans Home, Tilton.
He was born June 10, 1922, in Lewiston, Maine, to Elie and Josephine (Grenier) St. Hilaire. He lived in Melrose, Mass., before moving to the Lakes Region 26 years ago.
He graduated from Boston University. He was a pilot in the U. S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He was shot down over Czechoslovakia while on his 27th bombing mission. He was rescued by partisans, staying with them for three months.
He had been employed at United Carr/Division of TRW, in Cambridge, Mass., for more than 33 years, retiring in 1984.
He was a communicant of Our Lady of the Lakes Church. He loved all sports and was an avid golfer. While in high school, he played football, baseball and hockey. He loved to watch the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots.
IN HIS LIFE: Mr. St. Hilaire is survived by his wife of 37 years, Margaret "Peggy" (Flagler) St. Hilaire of Laconia; a brother, Roland, and several nephews and nieces. In addition to his parents, Mr. St. Hilaire was predeceased by four brothers, Lauzard, Rolando, Maurice and Lucin and by two sisters, Gaetan Begin and Jean Waugh.
SERVICES: Calling hours are Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. in Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of the Lakes Church, 50 Washington St., Lakeport. Burial will be in New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery, 110 Daniel Webster Highway, Boscawen, Thursday at 11 a.m.
Donations may be made to New Hampshire Veterans Home, 139 Winter St., Tilton 03276 or to Beacon Hospice, 70 Commercial St., Suite 400, Concord 03301.
Model Consolidated B-24J Liberator Length 67.16 ft | 20.47 m Width 110.01 ft | 33.53 m Height 18.01 ft | 5.49 m Engine(s) 4 x Pratt & Whitney R-1830-65 radial piston engines generating 1,200hp. Empty Weight 36,500 lbs | 16,556 kg MTOW 65,001 lbs | 29,484 kg Max Speed 290 mph | 467 km/h | 252 kts Max Range 2,001 miles | 3,220 km Ceiling 28,002 ft | 8,535 m | 5.3 miles Climb Rate 800 ft/min (243.84 m/min) Hardpoints 0 Armament 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in nose assembly. 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in tail assembly. 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in upper-fuselage turret. 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in under-fuselage assembly. 1 x 12.7mm machine gun in left-waist fuselage position. 1 x 12.7mm machine gun in right-waist fuselage position.
Up to 8,800lbs of internal bombs. Accommodations 10 Operators the United States of America and the United Kingdom.
* Model 31 - Flying Boat Model whose wing assembly would become the basis for the B-24 design. * Model 32 - Base B-24 Model Series Designation. * XB-24 - Initial Prototype Model Designation fitted with R-1830-33 radial piston engines generating 1,200hp. * YB-24 - Preproduction Model Designation * B-24A - Fitted with 2 x 7.62mm tail guns, 6 x 12.7mm machine guns in nose assembly, dorsal and waist gun positions. * B-24C - Fitted with turbocharged R-1830-41 engines; 8 x 12.7mm machine guns - nose (single gun), ventral, waist (left and right), dorsal turret (two guns) and tail turret (two guns). * B-24D - Based on the B-24C model but fitted with R-1830-43 engines; later models of this series would feature the twin 12.7mm ball turret gun assembly in the ventral fuselage position; self-sealing fuel tanks; 2,381 produced. * B-24E - Modified propeller systems; 801 produced. * B-24G - Fitted with R-1830-43 engines; powered nose turret with 2 x 12.7mm machine guns. * B-24H - Improved Model with extended nose section; 3,100 produced. * B-24J - Fitted with R-1830-65 engines; improved bombsight; autopilot functionality; 6,678 produced. * B-24L - Based on B-24J model but fitted with hand-operated tail guns; 1,667 produced. * B-24M - Based on B-24J model with lighter mounting for hand-operated tail gun; 2,593 produced. * XB-24Q - General Electric Conversion Model of B-24L model fitted with radio-controlled tail turret. * B-24Q - Final Production Model Designation * B-24Q * LB-30 - Transport Variant * C-87 - Air Force Transport Variant * RY - Navy Transport Variant * C-109 - Fuel Tanking Model * F-7 - Photographic Reconnaissance Model * PB4Y-1 - Patrol Bombing Model * PB4Y-2 - Specialized Model with single vertical tail surface assembly. * GR - British Maritime Reconnaissance Model.