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Personal info

Full name
HUDSON, Eldon Lee
Date of birth
11 April 1923
Age
22
Place of birth
Pulaski County, Kentucky
Hometown
Ford County, Illinois

Military service

Service number
36477915
Rank
Technical Sergeant
Function
Radio Operator
Unit
332nd Bombardment Squadron,
94th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
5 November 1945
Place of death
North Sea

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Sylvester Hudson (father)
Carrie (Abbot) Hudson (mother)
Veda (Mangan) Hudson (sister)
Vera (Hedge) Hudson (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
43-38165
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: St. Christopher Kids
Destination: Hamburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Rheunania Ossag oil refinery
MACR: 10305

More information

T/Sgt Eldon L. Hudson enlisted in Peoria, Illinois on 19 March 1943.

Two engines were hit and damaged by flak. According to the last word received from the crew, they were heading towards Holland and had decided to abandon the plane in the North Sea and await an Air Rescue. No further communication was received.

The entire crew of nine men was killed.

Official Statement of Thomas C.S. Houser, 2nd Lt, Air Corps:
"This aircraft was last seen with two engines out on 4 November 1944 at 53˚52'N - 07˚00'E at 1322 hours. At 1342 hours it was reported that he was calling for Air Sea Resque at 53˚48'N - 05˚40'E. Reports over VHF stated that he would try to make Holland but then decided to ditch. No further confirmed reports were received from this aircraft and therefore it is not known whether it ditched or made a landing safely."

T/Sgt Hudson was officially declared dead one day and one year after he was reported missing in action.

He is remembered at the Glen Cemetery, Paxton, Ford County, Illinois.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - Illinois, Find A Grave index / Kentucky, Birth index, www.usaafdata.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, Statement, www.8thafhs.com

Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Toni Swan, Peter Schouteten, René Bosma, Army Air Forces Training Command, Sioux Falls, South Dakota (radio operators) AAF collection website, Class book for pilot class 44-E at the Pacific Air School, Gibbs Field, Fort Stockton, Texas