Gerald M. Dalton, from New York, was a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force and served as the pilot of the "Amblin' Oakie" in the 577th Bomber Squadron, 392nd Bomber Group during World War II. On 18 March 1944, two B-24 Liberators from the 392nd Bomb Group, 576th and 577th Bomber Squadrons, were involved in a horrific mid-air collision over the Oise department in France. Amblin Oakie, Aircraft #41-29174, on its 25th mission, and Aircraft 41-28651 (no nickname) on its 9th mission both took off from the UK at around 10am on 18 March 1944, along with 26 other aircraft, on a bombing mission to Friedrichshafen. Amblin Oakie was caught in violent propeller wash from the other craft as it fell out of formation. The collision occurred at 1253. On Amblin Oakie a section of the right wing torn off behind the #4 engine as well as a portion of the tail assembly. The other plane lost its left tail section and both wings. One crew member parachuted to safety, the other nineteen were killed in a fiery crash just outside of Le Ployron, France.