Rudolph Johnson
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Army
Rudolph Johnson of Duluth was inducted into the Army on July 7, 1942 at Fort Snelling, Minnesota.
He was a Staff Sergeant, Technician Third Grade and radar repairman of airborne equipment on the B-29s with the 35th Engineering Squadron of the 25th Service Group and 20th Air Force in the air offensives over Japan, China, and India-Burma in the China-India-Burma Theater.
In his words: "We were in India for about eight months and our troops suffered much from malaria and various skin diseases and we were subject to bombing attacks by Japanese aircraft. Many of our planes were lost flying the ''Hump,'' the Himalayas. We did spend a Christmas Eve in a trench being bombed by Japanese aircraft, with casualties."
Mr. Johnson received: The Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal three bronze battle stars, American Campaign Medal and World War II Victory Medal.
He was honorably discharged on December 7, 1945, San Antonio, Texas.
Source: Hometown Heroes: The St. Louis County World War II Project. 134.
