The gallbladder and the part of the abdominal aorta that is closest to the gallbladder are nowhere near each other.
I have helped perform laparoscopic cholecystectomies. I can’t recall ever seeing the abdominal aorta on the laparoscopy screen.
There are many structures, particularly several large bile ducts, arteries, and veins separating the gallbladder from the part of the aorta from which the celiac trunk originates, which is the part of the aorta that would be closest to the gallbladder. The two structures aren’t even on the same side of the body.
Also, even in obese people, the gallbladder is fairly easy to find. Judging from photos, the airman is a thin person. Unless Read has some very strange anatomy, surgeons should not have had a hard time finding the gallbladder.
The surgeon performing the operation either had absolutely no clue where he was within the abdomen, was being incredibly careless with his instruments, or both.
I have also wondered how he managed to nick the aorta during a cholecystectomy. Further investigation in to the surgeons record is needed. It wouldn't surprise me if the surgeon has a record of screw ups either due to incompetence,falsified personnel records (ie: an impostor) or substance abuse.