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Personal info

Full name
RUTISHAUSER, Charles E
Date of birth
8 December 1920
Age
23
Place of birth
Mount Pleasant, Sanpete County, Utah
Hometown
Mount Pleasant, Sanpete County, Utah

Military service

Service number
39835671
Rank
Technical Sergeant
Function
Radio Operator
Unit
526th Bombardment Squadron,
379th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
18 June 1944
Place of death
Pinneberg, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
D 16 4

Immediate family

Members
Emil Rutishauser (father)
Minni (Christensen) Rutishauser (mother)
Alene Rustishauser (sister)
Lucile Rutishauser (sister)
James D. Rutishauser (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-102628
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: G.I Jane
Destination: Hamburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the oil refineries
MACR: 5989

More information

Charles E. Rutishauser attended college.

He enlisted in Salt Lake City, Utah on 8 October 1942.

Statement from Capt D.H. Buskey, crew member of another B-17 in the group: I last saw the aircraft leaving the formation while over the target at Hamburg, Germany. The aircraft disappeared going down through the clouds and under control. #3 engine was on fire and the fire had spread back into the wing itself.

Five crew members survived and were taken prisoner.

T/sgt Rutishauser was intially buried at the local cemetery of Rellingen on 20 June 1944.

He is remembered at the Mount Pleasant City Cemetery.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.findagrave.com, www.ancestry.com - Utah Military Records / 1930 Census

Photo source: www.findagrave.com