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Ruckman, George Francis

Individual Personnel Data
Name Ruckman, George Francis   ‡
⇗
Rank Second Lieutenant
Serial Number O-777244   ‡
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #254 dated 23 December 1944, effective 23 December 1944.
  • Transferred to a non-384th unit, per 547th Bomb Squadron Morning Report - Casual Pool, 70th Reinforcement Depot, effective 20 May 1945.
Duty Pilot
MOS1091 - Pilot, B-17
Last Duty Date 20 May 1945
Results Completed Tour, Returned to USA
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 1 December 1923
  • Reported missing on 3 February 1945 (MACR 12154): landed in allied (Russian) territory, repaired aircraft and returned to base via Italy.
  • Granted a seven day operational leave of absence effective 29 March 1945 per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #67 dated 28 March 1945.
  • Departed Grafton Underwood to AAF Station Stone on 20 May 1945. Returned to the ZOI via B-17.
Related Documents Missing Air Crew Report # 12154⇓ (7.168 MB)
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Ruckman, George FrancisPilotCT
Flt. Ofcr. O'Leary, William Joseph, Jr, "Willie, Bill"⇗Co-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Dulac, Albert Arthur⇗NavigatorTBD
Flt. Ofcr. Rivall, Jack Wallace⇗BombardierCT
CPL. Garstak, Jack George⇗Radio Operator / GunnerFCMEW
CPL. Young, Johnie Earl⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerFCMEW
CPL. Swieso, Oril Herbert⇗Spot JammerCT
CPL. Sorenson, Fredrick A⇗Tail GunnerFCMEW
CPL. Rice, Alonzo Robert⇗Flexible GunnerFCMEW
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 21 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
249⇗ 2 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Gerolstein, Germany 		Co-pilot 43‑38752⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
251⇗ 5 January 1945 Target: Landing Ground
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Neiderbreisig, Germany 		Pilot 42‑97960⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back; unable to locate formation.
Sortie Report⇗
252⇗ 7 January 1945 Target: Enemy Strong Point
Type: Military
Location: Blankenheim, Germany 		Co-pilot 44‑6514⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
253⇗ 8 January 1945 Target: Railroad
Type: Transportation
Location: Kyllburg, Germany 		Pilot 42‑97150⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report⇗
254⇗ 10 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Bonn, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38752⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
255⇗ 15 January 1945 Target: Neuburg Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Neuburg an der Donau, Germany 		Pilot 43‑37843⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
256⇗ 17 January 1945 Target: Railroad Viaduct
Type: Transportation
Location: Bielefeld, Germany 		Pilot 43‑37843⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
257⇗ 20 January 1945 Target: Rail and Road Bridges
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38757⇗ Combat Mission Credit
One of only three aircraft to land at Grafton Underwood.
Sortie Report⇗
258⇗ 21 January 1945 Target: Marshalling Yard
Type: Transportation
Location: Aschaffenburg, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38757⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
261⇗ 28 January 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38757⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Originally assigned to Whitesides; taken by Ruckmman when he scrubbed 44‑6592.
Sortie Report⇗
263⇗ 1 February 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Mannheim, Germany 		Pilot 44‑6592⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
264⇗ 3 February 1945 Target: Tempelhof Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Berlin, Germany 		Pilot 44‑6592⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Lead Squadron. Left formation after bombs away; crash-landed in Russian territory; repaired plane and returned via Italy to Grafton Underwood on 23 March 1945.
Sortie Report⇗
307⇗ 9 April 1945 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany 		Pilot 44‑6592⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
308⇗ 10 April 1945 Target: Ordnance Depot Workshop Area
Type: Military
Location: Oranienburg, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38752⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
309⇗ 11 April 1945 Target: Underground Oil Storage Depot
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Freiham, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38757⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
310⇗ 14 April 1945 Target: Gun Battery
Type: Military
Location: Royan (Bordeaux), France 		Pilot 44‑6592⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
311⇗ 15 April 1945 Target: Flak guns at Pointe de Suzac
Type: Military
Location: Royan, France 		Pilot 44‑6592⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report⇗
312⇗ 16 April 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Regensburg, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38747⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 44‑6592.
Sortie Report⇗
313⇗ 17 April 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Dresden, Germany 		Pilot 44‑6592⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
314⇗ 19 April 1945 Target: Railroad Station & Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Elsterwerda, Germany 		Pilot 43‑38752⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗
315⇗ 20 April 1945 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards
Type: Transportation
Location: Seddin, Germany 		Pilot 44‑6592⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
316⇗ 25 April 1945 Target: Skoda Armament Works
Type: Industry
Location: Pilsen / Plzeň, Czechoslovakia 		Pilot 42‑38208⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron.
Sortie Report⇗

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