Francis A. Gibson

Rank: Private

Branch: U.S. Army

Serial: 32269678

Unit: Company 476, 417th Infantry Regiment

Entered the service from: New Jersey

Died: 1942

Buried at: New Camden Cemetery, Mount Ephraim Avenue & Ferry Avenue, Camden, New Jersey

Private Francis A. Gibson was born in New Jersey in 1904 to William Gibson and his wife, the former Elizabeth Thorpe. The 1910 Census lists the family at 1808 Fillmore Street. William Gibson was then working at the McAndrews & Forbes licorice factory. Francis Gibson received a grammar school education. He generally worked as a laborer.

The 1920 Census shows Francis Gibson living with his widowed mother at 524 Mechanic Street. Also at home were his two older sisters, Rosella and Lillian. His mother remarried in the 1920s. The 1924 Camden City Directory shows that he was then working as a laborer and living at 520 Mechanic Street. The 1929 Directory, the 1930 Census and the 1940 Census show him living at 525 Mechanic Street. The Census shows him living with his mother, Elizabeth, and his step-father, Lawrence McGowan.

Private Gibson was still unmarried when he entered service at Fort Dix NJ on June 13, 1942, and was assigned to the 417th Infantry Regiment at Fort Meade, Maryland for basic training. Sadly, Private Gibson died of causes not related to combat before the end of the year. He was brought home to Camden, where he was interred at New Camden Cemetery.