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name
KRUPPA, Stephen John "Rusty" - Date of
birth
14 July 1917 -
Age
26 - Place of
birth
Wharton, Wharton County, Texas -
Hometown
Inez, Victoria County, Texas
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-805497 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Co-Pilot -
Unit
551st Bombardment Squadron,
385th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
28 February 1944 - Place of
death
Boulogne, France
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes - Tablets of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Emil J. Kruppa (father)
Rosalie (Valigura) Kruppa (mother)
Joseph Kruppa (brother)
Frank Kruppa (brother)
Robert Kruppa (brother)
John F. Kruppa (brother)
Adolph L. Kruppa (brother)
Emil Kruppa (brother)
Mary Kruppa (sister)
Elnora M. (Greive) Kruppa (wife)
Virginia G. Kruppa (daughter)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-38121 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Exact location is not known, France
Mission: Bombing of V-1 launch sites
MACR: 2882
More information
2nd Lt Stephen J. Kruppa graduated from Patti Welder High School.He joined the Air Corps of the Regular Army on 24 September 1941 at Foster Field, Texas.
The group took part in a bombing raid, targetting various V-1 launch sites across the French coast (Operation Noball).
The aircraft received a direct hit from enemy anti-aircraft fire at the waist windows, knocking off the tail. The front portion of the aircraft went straight down and was seen to crash in a wooded area, in the vicinity of the target. The airplane exploded upon hitting the ground in the city of Boulogne.
Eight crew members were killed, while two men survived and were taken prisoner.
2nd Lt Kruppa's brother, S1C Adolph L. Kruppa, was killed aboard the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. He is memorialized at the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, MACR, www.ancestry.com OneWorldTree, 1930 US Census, Victoria Advocate - 10 July 1945
Photo source: FOHF, FamilySearch.org