Harry C. Rudberg

Era: World War II

Military Branch: Air Force

Harry C. Rudberg entered the Army Air Corps on Jan. 9, 1942.

He was a Staff Sergeant and aerial gunner & armorer with the 551st Bomb Squadron, 385th Bomb Group. He flew 16 combat missions in the air offensive in Europe.

His plane was shot down on Oct. 10, 1943. He was wounded in action (from shrapnel), captured and hospitalized in a German air base, then shipped to Austria in Nov. 1943.

He was a prisoner of war for 19 months, and was on a 23 day forced march. He returned to the United States on June 3, 1945.

Mr. Rudberg was awarded the: Purple Heart, Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, European-African-Middle East Campaign Service Medal with 1 bronze battle star, World War II Victory Medal, and 3 Overseas Service Bars.

He was discharged on Aug. 29, 1945.

Source: Hometown Heroes: The St. Louis County World War II Project. 273.