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Dudla, John Richard

Individual Personnel Data
Name Dudla, John Richard   ‡
⇗
Rank Sergeant / Technical Sergeant
Serial Number 31169488   ‡
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, Special Orders #32 dated 1 February 1943, effective 1 February 1943.
Duty Tail Gunner / Togglier
MOS612 - Airplane Armorer / Gunner
Last Duty Date 18 March 1944
Results Interned, Neutral Country
DecorationsAwarded the Purple Heart medal for wounds received on 22 June 1943 per General Orders #73, Headquarters, 1st Bomb Wing dated 24 June 1943.
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 9 February 1921
  • Interned in Switzerland.
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #37 dated 27 June 1943.
  • Transferred in grade to the Detachment of Patients, APO 514 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #50 dated 17 July 1943. He subsequently returned to duty with the 384th Bomb Group, date unknown.
  • Promoted to Technical Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #23 dated 2 February 1944.
Related Documents Missing Air Crew Report # 3484⇓ (2.122 MB)
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Original 384th Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Ogilvie, Donald Potter⇗PilotPOW
2nd Lt. Goulder, Edmund Samuel⇗Co-pilotPOW
2nd Lt. Barkley, John William, Jr⇗NavigatorKNC
2nd Lt. Wilson, William Hollis, "Hollis"⇗BombardierKIA
SGT. Murray, James Raymond⇗Radio Operator / GunnerEV
S/SGT. Hood, Emmett Alexander⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerEV
S/SGT. McKeon, James William⇗Ball Turret GunnerEV
SGT. Dudla, John RichardTail GunnerINT
SGT. Campbell, Fred Simpson⇗Flexible GunnerTR
SGT. Sherman, Robert Ellsworth, Jr⇗Flexible GunnerTR
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 17 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
1⇗ 22 June 1943 Target: General Motors Truck Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Antwerp, Belgium 		Tail Gunner 42‑5848⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
36⇗ 16 November 1943 Target: Knaben II Molybdenum Mine
Type: Industry
Location: Knaben, Norway 		Ball Turret 42‑37848⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
39⇗ 1 December 1943 Target: Non-Ferrous Metals Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Solingen, Germany 		Tail Gunner 41‑24578⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Flying Spare; joined formation. Landed away at Manston.
Sortie Report⇗
42⇗ 13 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Togglier 42‑37924⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report⇗
43⇗ 16 December 1943 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany 		Togglier 42‑37924⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Alconbury
Sortie Report⇗
49⇗ 4 January 1944 Target: Port Area
Type: Transportation
Location: Kiel, Germany 		Togglier 42‑37924⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
51⇗ 7 January 1944 Target: Powerhouse
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany 		Togglier 42‑37924⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron #4; assumed Squadron lead after assigned Squadron lead aircraft failed to take off; then led remaining group aircraft on the mission after weather broke up the group formation, causing most (including assigned group lead) to turn back.
Sortie Report⇗
52⇗ 11 January 1944 Target: Ju-88 Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt, Germany 		Togglier 42‑29651⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
54⇗ 21 January 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France 		Togglier 42‑29688⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
41B Group. Turned back over base as prop governor on #4 engine broke and had to be feathered.
Sortie Report⇗
55⇗ 29 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Togglier 42‑39809⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Returned Early
Low group. Turned back at 1019 hrs due to pilot's illness. Bombs jettisoned in Channel.
Sortie Report⇗
57⇗ 3 February 1944 Target: Submarines (under construction)
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany 		Tail Gunner 42‑37788⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Group. After losing the formation in clouds, continued mission with the 91st BG.
Sortie Report⇗
58⇗ 4 February 1944 Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑31433⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy, high group, 41st A Combat Wing.
Sortie Report⇗
63⇗ 20 February 1944 Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany 		Togglier 41‑24560⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
41B Group. Turned back at 0905 hrs due to complete loss of power in #1 engine; aircraft took off a second time but could not catch up with group.
Sortie Report⇗
65⇗ 22 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany 		Togglier 42‑29927⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
41B Group. Turned back due to oil leak in #4 at 1155 hrs; landed away at RAF Castle Camps, Cambridgeshire.
Sortie Report⇗
66⇗ 24 February 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Togglier 42‑31871⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron, low group.
Sortie Report⇗
67⇗ 25 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany 		Togglier 42‑31871⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
41A Group, Low Squadron Deputy. Aborted 10 miles NW of Splasher 1 due to an oxygen leak.
Sortie Report⇗
69⇗ 2 March 1944 Target: Alfred Teves Main Works: Aircraft Parts Plant and Machine Shop
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany 		Togglier 42‑31606⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
70⇗ 3 March 1944 Target: Roller-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Togglier 42‑31871⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
71⇗ 4 March 1944 Type: Military
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Togglier 42‑37801⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 0955 hrs; oxygen failure; dropped from 350 lbs to 250 lbs in 30 minutes without use.
Sortie Report⇗
72⇗ 6 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Togglier 42‑37788⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Returned to base after group leader abandoned attempt to join assigned combat wing.
Sortie Report⇗
73⇗ 8 March 1944 Target: Erkner Ball-Bearing Factory
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Togglier 42‑37788⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
75⇗ 16 March 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany 		Togglier 42‑37788⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
76⇗ 18 March 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Repair Works
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany 		Togglier 42‑37793⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Failed To Return
At 1440 hrs he turned from formation; at 1455 he called Group Leader that two engines were out and he was heading for Switzerland, escorted by P-38s through a mountain pass to the south; damage caused by flak; crash-landed at Altstetten, Switzerland. MACR 3484
From 303rd BG: '#1 engine would not feather, vibrated badly and ran away over target. Supercharger on #2 inoperative 30 minutes before initial point, was rough and lost oil. Supercharger on #3 did not function properly. Aircraft landed at Dubendorf [sic] wheels up. Destruction completed of secret equipment. Target was bombed.'
Sortie Report⇗

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