Against a wall in the Abeels Family plot.

A dark inscribed upright stone; part of the family plot.

Staff Sergeant Gerald “Jerry” Sorensen was born in Idaho in 1919.  He served with the 339^th Bomber Squadron of the 96^th Bomber Group.   

On May 1, 1944, Sorensen was serving as the Ball Turret Gunner on the B-17 (42-31152) “Wolverine” on a mission to bomb a railway yard at Metz.  Enroute the plane lost an engine, but continued with the mission.  On the return flight to England, the lost a second engine due to anti-aircraft fire.  The crew bailed out and Sorensen was rescued by the Belgian Resistance.

He was later transferred to Belgium Resistance, known as the "Comet Line".   The "Comet Line" was a network of over 1,000 civilians who guided downed Allied airmen south through Belgium and France, across the Pyrenees to neutral Spain, from which they could return to England.

Sorensen was transferred to the Abeel Family along the “Comet Line” in Ganshoren, Brussels where he became friends and assisted with Resistance work with Authur and Roger Abeels, a father son team.  After many missions supporting the Belgian Resistance efforts, on September 3, 1944 son Roger and Jerry were killed while fighting German SS Troops.  Sorensen was buried in the Abeels family grave plot.  After the war Sorensen’s wife visited and decided to have Sorensen remain where he was buried, next to his friend, Roger Abeels.

The nearby Sergeant Sorensen Street (Rue de Sergent Sorenson) also remembers Sorensen.  It is at the intersections with Roger Abeels Street in Ganshoren.

Source: AOMDA Foundation

Missing Air Crew Report 4237

The text on the upper plaque reads:

GERALD SORENSEN (USA)

MORT PER LA BELGIQUE

1919   1944

Translation:

GERALD SORENSEN (USA)

DIED FOR BELGIUM

1919-1944

Lower plaque reads:

IN

LOVING

REMEMBERANCE

NORA AND MOM

SORENSEN