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Dudley, John Charles

Individual Personnel Data
Name Dudley, John Charles   
Rank Private First Class / Technical Sergeant
Serial Number 16053949   
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, Special Orders #32 dated 1 February 1943, effective 1 February 1943.
  • Transferred to a non-384th unit, per 545th Bomb Squadron Morning Report - 305th Bomb Group, AAF Station 105, effective 20 March 1944.
Duty Engineer / Top Turret Gunner
Last Duty Date 20 March 1944
Results Transferred
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 23 March 1923
  • Promoted from Private to Staff Sergeant on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #36 dated 25 June 1943.
  • Promoted to Technical Sergeant effective 17 April 1943 per 545th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 17 April 1943.
  • Ordered to attend Gunnery School at Snettisham, Norfolk, for approximately 10 days beginning on or about 30 May 1943, on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #21 dated 30 May 1943. Students are required to bring .50 cal. Ammunition, gas mask, steel helmet, mess equipment, blankets, clothing for ten days, and draw 'PX rations' in advance.
  • Ordered on Temporary Duty to the 8th Bomber Command Rest Center, Southport Lancshire (a Flak House) for seven days on or about 4 August 1943 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #62 dated 3 August 1943.
    Promoted from PFC to Sergeant on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #137 dated 7 November 1943.
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #31 dated 15 February 1944.
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album




Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Original 384th Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Mattes, Frank GeorgePilotKIA
2nd Lt. Thompson, Arthur John, JrCo-pilotPOW
2nd Lt. Wentworth, Wayne LNavigatorPOW
2nd Lt. Konefal, Adam (NMI)BombardierKIA
S/SGT. Fletter, Homer ThomasRadio Operator / GunnerPOW
PFC. Dudley, John CharlesEngineer / Top Turret GunnerTR
S/SGT. Carter, James ThomasBall Turret GunnerKIA
PVT. Hay, Thomas (NMI)Tail GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Garcia, Edward JiminezFlexible GunnerPOW
S/SGT. Thompson, John PaulFlexible GunnerPOW

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 22 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
1 22 June 1943 Target: General Motors Truck Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Antwerp, Belgium
Engineer/Top Turret 42‑3222 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
3 26 June 1943 Target: Villacoublay Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Paris, France
Engineer/Top Turret 42‑3222 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
4 28 June 1943 Target: Fighter Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Beaumont-le-Roger, France
Engineer/Top Turret 42‑3222 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
5 29 June 1943 Target: duNord Aircraft Works, Villacoublay Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Paris, France
Engineer/Top Turret 42‑3222 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
6 4 July 1943 Target: Gnome et Rhone Aircraft Engine Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Le Mans, France
Engineer/Top Turret 42‑3222 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
7 10 July 1943 Target: Drucat Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Abbeville, France
Engineer/Top Turret 42‑3222 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report
10 25 July 1943 Target: Blohm & Voss Aircraft Works and Shipyard
Type: Industry
Location: Hamburg, Germany
Engineer/Top Turret 42‑3222 Combat Mission Credit
Group Deputy Lead.
Sortie Report
11 28 July 1943 Target: Aircraft Engine Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Kassel, Germany
Engineer/Top Turret 42‑3222 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead.
Sortie Report
37 26 November 1943 Target: City Center
Type: Non-Military
Location: Bremen, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑3218 Combat Mission Credit
Returned Early
Turned back with a supercharger failure, apparently after entering into enemy airspace and thereby earning combat credit.
Sortie Report
39 1 December 1943 Target: Non-Ferrous Metals Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Solingen, Germany
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑29554 Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Molesworth.
Sortie Report
44 20 December 1943 Target: Port Area/Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bremen, Germany
Engineer/Top Turret 42‑37816 Combat Mission Credit
Flying spare; joined formation and completed mission, but did not bomb primary target; jettisoned bombs in North Sea.
Sortie Report
54 21 January 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Preuseville, France
Engineer/Top Turret 42‑37792 Combat Mission Credit
41A Group.
Sortie Report
55 29 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Parts Plants
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Engineer/Top Turret 42‑37974 Combat Mission Credit
Lead group.
Sortie Report
56 30 January 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany
Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31433 Combat Mission Credit
Low group. Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑31484.
Sortie Report
57 3 February 1944 Target: Submarines (under construction)
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Engineer/Top Turret 42‑3441 Combat Mission Credit
Lead Group.
Sortie Report
59 5 February 1944 Target: Bricy Aerodrome, Luftwaffe Training and Bomber Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Orleans, France
Engineer/Top Turret 42‑29809 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
60 6 February 1944 Target: Nancy/Essey Aerodrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nancy, France
Engineer/Top Turret 42‑29809 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 1031 hrs due to defective bomb racks; bombs were released when bombardier released bomb bay tanks over North Sea.
Sortie Report
61 8 February 1944 Target: Piston Ring Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Engineer/Top Turret 42‑97477 Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron.
Sortie Report
62 11 February 1944 Target: Propeller Factory (Foundry)
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Engineer/Top Turret 42‑29809 Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at RAF Stansted, Essex, due to low fuel and #1 engine knocked out by flak.
Sortie Report
63 20 February 1944 Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany
Engineer/Top Turret 42‑97521 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
41A Group. Turned back with #1 engine out.
Sortie Report
66 24 February 1944 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany
Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31926 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron, lead group.
Sortie Report
67 25 February 1944 Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany
Engineer/Top Turret 42‑29632 Combat Mission Credit
41C Group, High Squadron, Lead Group. Landed away at RAF Boreham, Essex, on return due to low fuel.
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
Engineer/Top Turret 42‑31166 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
71 4 March 1944 Type: Military
Location: Berlin, Germany
Engineer/Top Turret 42‑37792 Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back at 1010 hrs because engineer was knocked out while fixing the ball turret; when azimuth power switch was released, it caused the turret to swing around and hit the engineer in the head; he was taken to Thrapston Hospital for observation.
Sortie Report
77 19 March 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-2 Storage and Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Wizernes, France
Waist (Flexible) Gunner 42‑31166 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report

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