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Saunders, Rufus Milton

Individual Personnel Data
Name Saunders, Rufus Milton   
Rank Sergeant / Staff Sergeant
Serial Number 18078312   
Unit Assignments Assigned to the 547th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #91 dated 16 May 1944, effective 16 May 1944.
Duty Ball Turret Gunner
MOS748 - Army Airplane Mechanic / Gunner, Flight Engineer
Last Duty Date 3 October 1944
Results Completed Tour, Returned to USA
Additional Information
  • Date of Birth: 12 March 1921
  • Promoted to Staff Sergeant per AAF Station 107 dated 8 June 1944.
  • Granted a seven day convalescent furlough effective 19 July 1944 per 547th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 19 July 1944.
Photo Album:Crew Photo Album




Crew Composition When Assigned to the 384th BG
Replacement Combat Crew
CREWMEMBER POSITION RESULTS
2nd Lt. Shelley, John KeithPilotTBD
2nd Lt. McCartney, James ThomasCo-pilotCT
2nd Lt. Adelman, Efrom Milton, "Milton"NavigatorCT
2nd Lt. Parker, Max FranklinBombardierPOW
S/SGT. Sapolin, Morton (NMI)Radio Operator / GunnerCT
S/SGT. Frisbee, Joseph SelvynEngineer / Top Turret GunnerCT
SGT. Saunders, Rufus MiltonBall Turret GunnerCT
SGT. Whittington, Dee WTail GunnerCT
SGT. Flannery, Wade HendersonFlexible GunnerCT
SGT. Snyder, Clifford LeroyFlexible GunnerCT

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 33 Combat Missions.
Number Date Target Position Aircraft Mission/Sortie Information
122 2 June 1944 Target: Gun Battery with six 155mm guns, Tactical Support
Type: Military
Location: Hardelot (5 miles S of Boulogne), France
Ball Turret 42‑38208 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
124 3 June 1944 Target: Coastal Artillery Battery
Type: Military
Location: Le Touquet, France
Ball Turret 42‑38013 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
125 4 June 1944 Target: Artillery Battery
Type: Military
Location: Hardelot (Boulogne area), France
Ball Turret 42‑3441 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
126 5 June 1944 Target: Field Artillery Battery
Type: Military
Location: La Fosse, France
Ball Turret 42‑38013 Combat Mission Credit
Lead Group.
Sortie Report
132 10 June 1944 Target: Chateau Bougon Airfield (41A) & Vannes Airfield (41B)
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Nantes & Vannes, France
Ball Turret 42‑38013 Combat Mission Credit
41A Group, High Squadron Deputy.
Sortie Report
133 12 June 1944 Target: Railroad Bridge 48°29'N,2°0'W
Type: Transportation
Location: La Vicomté-sur-Rance, France
Ball Turret 42‑38013 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
134 13 June 1944 Target: Dreux Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dreux, France
Ball Turret 42‑38013 Combat Mission Credit
Landed away at Polebrook, AAF Station 110, on return, due to bad weather.
Sortie Report
135 14 June 1944 Target: Coulommiers Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Coulommiers, France
Ball Turret 42‑38013 Combat Mission Credit
41B Wing, High Group.
Sortie Report
136 15 June 1944 Target: Railroad Viaduct
Type: Transportation
Location: La Possonnièrre, France
Ball Turret 42‑38013 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
137 16 June 1944 Target: Athies Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Laon, France
Ball Turret 42‑38013 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
138 18 June 1944 Target: Ölwerke Julius Humbles
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Hamburg, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑38013 Combat Mission Credit
41A Group.
Sortie Report
139 19 June 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Fleury & Crépy, France
Ball Turret 44‑6080 Combat Mission Credit
41B Group.
Sortie Report
140 19 June 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Fleury & Crépy, France
Engineer/Top Turret 44‑6135 Combat Mission Credit
41A Group.
Sortie Report
141 20 June 1944 Target: Oil Refineries
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Harburg (Hamburg area), Germany
Engineer/Top Turret 42‑38013 Combat Mission Credit
Low Group.
Sortie Report
145 24 June 1944 Target: German Vacuum Oil Company
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Oslebshausen (Bremen area), Germany
Ball Turret 44‑6105 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron lead, high group 41st B wing.
Sortie Report
146 25 June 1944 Target: Railroad Bridge & Embankment
Type: Transportation
Location: Sens, France
Ball Turret 42‑38013 Combat Mission Credit
Low Squadron lead, lead group, 41st A wing.
Sortie Report
148 28 June 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Juvincourt (Juvincourt-et-Damary), France
Ball Turret 42‑38208 Combat Mission Credit
High group deputy, 41st A wing. Landed away at Wattisham, AAF Station 377, on return due to weather.
Sortie Report
149 30 June 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Montdidier, France
Ball Turret 42‑97960 Combat Mission Credit
High group deputy.
Sortie Report
150 4 July 1944 Target: Airfield
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Dreux (Conches-en-Ouche), France
Ball Turret 42‑102449 Combat Mission Credit
High group lead. Gee-H ship.
Sortie Report
153 7 July 1944 Target: Me-109 Aircraft Factory
Type: Aircraft Industry
Location: Leipzig, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑97960 Combat Mission Credit
High group lead, 41st A wing.
Sortie Report
159 17 July 1944 Target: Beautor Bridge
Type: Transportation
Location: Beautor, France
Ball Turret 42‑97960 Combat Mission Credit
Low group lead.
Sortie Report
167 29 July 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil & Chemical Plant
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Merseburg, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑97960 Combat Mission Credit
High group lead, 41st B wing.
Sortie Report
170 3 August 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Fleury, Flers, Fiefs, France
Ball Turret 42‑97960 Combat Mission Credit
I Group Lead.
Sortie Report
171 4 August 1944 Target: Rocket Research & Development Complex
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Peenemünde, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑97960 Combat Mission Credit
High Group Lead.
Sortie Report
175 8 August 1944 Target: Tactical - Enemy Strong Points
Type: Military
Location: Bretteville-sur-Laize, France
Ball Turret 42‑97960 Combat Mission Credit
High group lead.
Sortie Report
180 14 August 1944 Target: Echterdingen Airdrome
Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe)
Location: Stuttgart, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑102449 Combat Mission Credit
High group lead.
Sortie Report
186 30 August 1944 Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site)
Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons)
Location: Crepieul, France
Ball Turret 42‑97948 Combat Mission Credit
Gee-H ship. High Squadron lead.
Sortie Report
190 9 September 1944 Target: I. G. Farben Chemical Works
Type: Industry
Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑97960 Combat Mission Credit
High group lead.
Sortie Report
199 26 September 1944 Target: Steelworks
Type: Industry
Location: Osnabrück, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑37788 Combat Mission Credit
Lead group flying spare; joined formation.
Sortie Report
200 27 September 1944 Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards (PFF Aiming Points)
Type: Transportation
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑38013 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
201 28 September 1944 Target: Steelworks
Type: Industry
Location: Magdeburg, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑38013 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
203 2 October 1944 Target: Ford Motor Works
Type: Industry
Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany
Ball Turret 43‑38262 Combat Mission Credit
Sortie Report
204 3 October 1944 Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery
Type: Oil Industry
Location: Wesseling, Germany
Ball Turret 42‑37788 Combat Mission Credit
High Squadron hot camera ship.
Sortie Report

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