Gilbert S. Portmore
Image: Dartmouth College (1936)
Gilbert Stevenson Portmore was born on 15 February 1914 in Framingham. He lived at 97 Lincoln Street with his parents Thomas Gilead (1876-1958) and Maude (1874-1969). Gilbert was their only child. Thomas was a Dennison Vice President (VP), Town Meeting member, Selectman, State Representative, Director of the South Middlesex Cooperative Bank, a Framingham Union Trustee, a VP of the Framingham Chamber of Commerce and the Chair of Framingham Public Safety during WWII. He was a pillar of the community.
1920 Dennison Manufacturing Board of Directors
(T.G. Portmore standing far right)
Image: Framingham History Center (FHC)
Gilbert was a member of the Framingham High School (FHS) Class of 1932. Following FHS, he attended and graduated from Dartmouth College (Class of 1936), where he majored in psychology. While at Dartmouth, he was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, the orchestra/band and rowing club.
Upon completion of his studies, he returned to Framingham where he worked for Dennison Manufacturing in the Personnel Department. He later played trumpet in the Bob Crosby Band. Bob, Bing's brother, led the "Bob Cats" from 1935-1942. Bob was reported to be the titular head/marketing attraction because he did not play an instrument, only sang.
In 1940, Gilbert was selected to attend the federally funded, Framingham Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP) where he received his civilian pilots license. He was awarded one of ten scholarships given to the inaugural class. He finished second only to Framingham’s “Double Ace” Norm MacDonald (11.5 confirmed aerial victories in WWII).
The Civilian Pilot Training Program
Image: Framingham News
In 1941, Gilbert enlisted in the US Army Air Force (USAAF) as an Aviation Cadet. Upon the completion of flight school, he received his wings and was commissioned as a USAAF Second Lieutenant (on 26 September 1941). He was eventually assigned to the Army's 49th Fighter Group which deployed to Australia in 1942. The 49th was one of the earliest USAAF commands to head to the Southwest Pacific. They were later known as the “Fighting 49’ers”. Gilbert flew the rugged P-40E Warhawk for the 49th.
USAAF 49TH Fighter Group P-40 Warhawk Fighters
Image: The History Guild (Australia)
Watch: https://youtu.be/PxwmOIetvIE
Australia, New Guinea and the “Big Picture”
Image: National WWII Museum
Gilbert’s Group was assigned to the Fifth Air Force’s, V Fighter Command. In total, he spent 19 months in the Southwest Pacific Theater of Operations, both defending Australia from Japanese air raids and in New Guinea supporting Allied ground operations. His command was awarded a “Distinguished Unit Citation “(DUC) for its performance against the Japanese over the Northern Territory of Australia (from March to August 1942).
The 49th moved to New Guinea in October of 1942 to help stem the Japanese drive southward from Buna to the critically important Port Moresby. They provided an “air umbrella” over the port, escorted bombers and transports, and attacked enemy installations, supply lines, and troop concentrations. The command was the recipient of yet another DUC for its accomplishments over this strategically important island (October 1942-January 1943).
In total, Gilbert flew 100 combat missions. For his multiple acts of gallantry, amazing flying skills and remarkably selfless efforts, he was awarded the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal and Purple Heart.
Silver Star DFC Purple Heart Air Medal (3 awards)
While in New Guinea, when he wasn't flying, Gilbert started and led a jazz band called -- "Cap'n Portmore's Hepcats" or the "Fightin'est, Flyingest Swing Band in Uncle Sam's Armed Forces." The band was the subject of an Associated Press (AP) news-feed report.
AP August 1943 Field Report from the Pacific
Interestingly, the AP had previously highlighted another of Gilbert’s remarkable efforts while telling the story of a contemporary (June 1943) “David and Goliath” dogfight. In this case, Gilbert was flying an unarmed Piper J-3 Cub (aka Army L-4A “Grasshopper”) when he was attacked by a Japanese bomber. His flying skills and situational awareness kept him alive to fight another day. The AP feed is provided below. On 27 February of 1944, the Nebraska based “Lincoln Sunday Journal and Star” published a cartoon depiction of the dogfight.
L-4 Grasshopper patrols along a New Guinea Beach
Image: National Archives
“David Versus Goliath”
Image: Brisbane Courier-Mail 25 June 1943
“David Versus Goliath”
Image: The Nebraska “Lincoln Sunday Journal and Star,” 27 February 1944
While he was in Australia, he met and married Joyce Patricia Murrell (on 21 January 1943). She hailed from Sydney. In 1943, he was transferred back to the US, where he was assigned to a Ferry Command. His wife made the trip back to Boston to be with him on leave and at his next duty station. Their Boston reunion was covered by the Boston Globe (09 July 1943).
Boston Reunion
Image: Boston Globe
Home on Leave
Image: The Framingham News, 09 November 1943
On 02 January 1944, the B-24 bomber Gilbert was ferrying from the Ford Plant in Michigan to an airfield in Alabama for advanced electronics installation crashed west of Knoxville, TN. Gilbert was the co-pilot. He and two other crew members were killed. This was a tragic ending for an amazing man who survived 19 months of very high risk, and intense aerial combat against a well-equipped, highly skilled enemy. Sadly, Gilbert would have likely been an iconic Framingham personality and leader had he not perished in this unfortunate accident.
Sources
Army Air Corps Library and Museum (armyaircorpsmusem.org)
Dartmouth Alumni Magazine
The Framingham History Center
The History Guild (Australia)
The Imperial War Museum
The Library of Congress
The National Archives
The National WWII Museum
The US Army Center of Military History
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