John Joseph Ruppert
Military"Iowans of the Mighty Eighth", Chapter 22 "Biographies", by Charles D Taylor.
Assigned to 708BS, 447BG, 8AF USAAF. John had entered the Aviation Cadet programme in July 1943 but due to a surplus of pilots opted to train as a gunner. He joined the group at Rattlesden where he flew on 13 missions; on the last they made a forced landing on an old Luftwaffe airfield in France. The crew were sent to Paris until they could be collected -- meantime they had been classed as 'Missing in Action'.
Awards: AM (OLC), EAME, WWII Victory.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Tail Wind
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: American Beauty
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Bloody Bucket and Ol Boomerang
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 708th Bomb Squadron Headquarters (447th Bomb Group)
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Iowa City, IA, USA | 14 June 1925 | Born Iowa City, Iowa |
Enlisted |
Keesler Field, Biloxi, Mississippi | 18 August 1943 | Enlisted Keesler Field, Biloxi, Mississippi |
Died |
Iowa City, Iowa | Died Iowa City, Iowa | |
Buried |
Oakland Cemetery Iowa City, Iowa | Interred Oakland Cemetery Iowa City, Iowa |
Revisions
"Iowans of the Mighty Eighth", Chapter 22 "Biographies", by Charles D Taylor.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Unit History Roster, Enlisted Men, as of 01 August 1945