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Billingsley, James Rudolph

Individual Personnel Data
Name Billingsley, James Rudolph, "Rude"
⇗
Rank Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 36068397
Unit Assignments
  • Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, Special Orders #70 dated 11 March 1943, effective 11 March 1943.
  • Transferred to a non-384th unit, per 545th Bomb Squadron Morning Report - 482nd Bomb Group, effective 10 October 1943.
Duty Ball Turret Gunner
MOS757 - Radio Operator / Mechanic / Gunner, AAF
Last Duty Date 10 October 1943
Results Transferred
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 30 November 1920
  • Awarded a second oak leaf cluster to The Air Medal for shooting down an enemy aircraft on 17 August 1943.
Related Documents Accident Report # 43-04-25-5⇓ (4.476 MB)
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album⇗
Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Original 384th Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
Flt. Ofcr. Lecates, Robert Leslie⇗PilotCT
2nd Lt. Esty, Harvey Charles, "Butch"⇗Co-pilotPOW
2nd Lt. Warrilow, David Paul⇗NavigatorTR
2nd Lt. Farwell, Francis Raymond⇗BombardierTR
S/SGT. Jumper, George William⇗Radio Operator / GunnerTR
S/SGT. Ausmus, Leon Farrell⇗Engineer / Top Turret GunnerTR
S/SGT. Billingsley, James Rudolph, "Rude"Ball Turret GunnerTR
S/SGT. Bowen, Frank Howard⇗Flexible GunnerTR
S/SGT. Lemmerman, Henry George⇗Flexible GunnerTR
S/SGT. Daudelin, Eldore Leo⇗Flexible GunnerPOW
Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 14 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
-- 25 April 1943 None
Non-combat sortie 		Passenger 42‑30074⇗ Non-combat sortie, ferrying aircraft from Salinas, CA to Sioux City, IA. Landing gear would not extend: pilot made a wheels-up landing.
Sortie Report⇗
1⇗ 22 June 1943 Target: General Motors Truck Factory
Type: Industry
Location: Antwerp, Belgium 		Ball Turret 42‑3216⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Tail gunner's feet were frostbitten.
Sortie Report⇗
5⇗ 29 June 1943 Target: duNord Aircraft Works, Villacoublay Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Paris, France 		Ball Turret 42‑30142⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
High Squadron Deputy. Ground Spare Aircraft; replaced 42‑30139. Turned back due to runaway prop on #1 engine.
Sortie Report⇗
7⇗ 10 July 1943 Target: Drucat Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Abbeville, France 		Ball Turret 42‑29985⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
9⇗ 24 July 1943 Target: Aluminum & Magnesium Plants
Type: Industry
Location: Herøya, Norway 		Ball Turret 42‑29985⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
10⇗ 25 July 1943 Target: Blohm & Voss Aircraft Works and Shipyard
Type: Industry
Location: Hamburg, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑29985⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
11⇗ 28 July 1943 Target: Aircraft Engine Plant
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Kassel, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑29985⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back after the loss of parts of oxygen system and #1 engine.
Sortie Report⇗
12⇗ 29 July 1943 Target: Naval Base
Type: Military
Location: Kiel, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑29985⇗ Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Turned back near enemy coast when #1 and #2 engines lost power and could not stay with formation.
Sortie Report⇗
14⇗ 12 August 1943 Target: Synthetic Fuel Hydrogenation Plant
Type: Industry
Location: Gelsenkirchen, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑29985⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Aborted Mission After Taking Off
Low Squadron deputy. Returned early after #1 engine oil cooler sprung leak and lost power. Bombed a target of opportunity (TOO), an airfield in The Netherlands.
Sortie Report⇗
15⇗ 15 August 1943 Target: Poix-en-Picardie and Amiens-Glisy Airfields
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Poix-de-Picardie & Amiens, France 		Ball Turret 42‑5444⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
16⇗ 16 August 1943 Target: Le Bourget Airport & Air Depot
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Paris, France 		Ball Turret 42‑3074⇗ Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
17⇗ 17 August 1943 Target: Ball-Bearing Plant
Type: Bearings Industry
Location: Schweinfurt, Germany 		Ball Turret 42‑5444⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Earls Colne, AAF Station 358, on return.
Sortie Report⇗
18⇗ 27 August 1943 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Watten, France 		Ball Turret 42‑5444⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report⇗
22⇗ 7 September 1943 Target: Bruxelles-Evere Airfield/Repair Depot
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Brussels / Bruxelles, Belgium 		Ball Turret 42‑5444⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron deputy.
Sortie Report⇗
23⇗ 9 September 1943 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Lille-Vendeville, France 		Ball Turret 42‑3216⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron Lead.
Sortie Report⇗
24⇗ 16 September 1943 Target: Blockade Runner Ship (in Loire River)
Type: Transportation
Location: Nantes, France 		Ball Turret 42‑3216⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Group lead.
Sortie Report⇗
25⇗ 23 September 1943 Target: Submarine Repair Ship
Type: Submarine Facility
Location: Nantes, France 		Ball Turret 42‑30196⇗ Combat Mission Credit
Ground Spare Aircraft. Replaced 42‑30005. Landed away at RAF Wing, Buckinghamshire.
Sortie Report⇗

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