Rudolph L. Jenson

World War II
-
Fallen

County:
Walsh

Date of Loss:

Branch of Service:
Army

Rank:
1st Lieutenant

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent:
B-17G #42-31695

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:
369th Bomber Squadron

Regiment / Group / Brigade:
306th Bomber Group, Heavy

Listed on/in the:
Register of North Dakota Veterans World War II 1941-1945 and Korean Conflict 1950-1953, published 1968

Major Battle/Theatre:
European African Middle Eastern Theater

Circumstances:

B-17G #42-31695 took off, with a crew of 10, from Station 111 Thurleigh, England on a bombing mission over Bernburg, Germany. After a successful bombing mission they were returning to England and about 1 1/2 hours into the return flight they were attacked by German Fighter Aircraft.

Biography:

Rudolph served as a First Lieutenant and Co-Pilot on B-17G #42-31695, 369th Bomber Squadron, 306th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.

He resided in Walsh County, North Dakota prior to the war.

He enlisted in the Army on April 9, 1942 at Camp Blanding, Florida. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Farm hand and also as Single, without dependents.

B-17G #42-31695 took off, with a crew of 10, from Station 111 Thurleigh, England on a bombing mission over Bernburg, Germany. After a successful bombing mission they were returning to England and about 1 1/2 hours into the return flight they were attacked by German Fighter Aircraft.

They were hit and disabled and the pilot gave the " bail out " order and only " 1 " member of the crew was able to bail out prior to the B-17 crashing. " 9 " members of the crew were killed in the crash.

Rudolph was "Killed In Action" in this crash during the war.

He was awarded the Air Medal with " 1 " Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart.