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Submit- Full
name
RODDEN, Elvie L - Date of
birth
30 March 1922 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
Hominy, Osage County, Oklahoma -
Hometown
Tulsa, Tulsa County, Oklahoma
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
18160313 -
Rank
Technical Sergeant -
Function
Top Turret Gunner/Engineer -
Unit
545th Bombardment Squadron,
384th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
13 April 1944 - Place of
death
Mannheim, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| A | 8 | 17 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Jesse R. Rodden (father)
Sarah E. (Duggins) Rodden (mother)
Everett J. Rodden (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-31048 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Schweinfurt, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the ball-bearing factories
MACR: 3866
More information
T/Sgt Elvie L. Rodden attended Hominy High School in Hominy, Oklahoma.He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in Tulsa, Oklahoma on 25 August 1942.
The group was escorted by P-47s. As soon as this escort dived down upon some enemy fighters, a wave of fifteen FW-190s made a head-on attack from a great distance away, coming in slightly below. As they were continuing across the front of the formation, three additional FW-190s using the latter as a screen, suddenly broke beneath them and dove again into the formation. During this attack, seven B-17s from the squadron were shot down. This B-17 was hit in the center of the fuselage, the wings, and the tail, and exploded nearly immediately.
Two crew members were taken prisoner, and eight men were killed.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.384thbombgroup.com, www.ancestry.com - Family Tree, www.fold3.com - WWII Draft Card
Photo source: Guy Maes, www.ancestry.com - Hominy High School Yearbook 1940