World War II Honoree

William Ranger Dutschke

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Carrollton, Indiana

Honored By

Sam E. Pennartz

ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS ON 13 MARCH 1943 AT FORT BENJAMIN HARRISON NEAR INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA. UNDERWENT B-29 AIRCRAFT TRANSITION AND COMBAT CREW TRAINING AT PRATT ARMY AIR FIELD, KANSAS. DEPLOYED TO THE CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATRE OF OPERATIONS AND WAS ASSIGNED TO 20TH AIR FORCE, XXI BOMBER COMMAND, 73RD BOMB WING, 497TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP, 871ST BOMB SQUADRON STATIONED AT ISLEY FIELD ON SAIPAN IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS. ON 3 JANUARY 1945, HE FLEW AS AN AERIAL GUNNER IN THE TAIL STATION ABOARD A BOEING B-29 SUPERFORTRESS, NICKNAMED 'JOKERS WILD' (SERIAL #42-24626) TAIL CODE: A-SQUARE-42. IT WAS ONE OF 97 AIRCRAFT LAUNCHED IN A MULTI-GROUP FORMATION TO BOMBARD THE PORT FACILITIES AND URBAN AREAS OF NAGOYA, JAPAN. FLAK FROM ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY WAS MEAGER, AND ENEMY FIGHTER AIRCRAFT ATTACKS WERE DESCRIBED AS MODERATE, WITH 346 PASSES REPORTED. HIS AIRCRAFT WAS LAST HEARD FROM APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES AFTER BOMBS AWAY, STATING THEY HAD CLEARED THE TARGET AREA WITH NO TROUBLE. HOWEVER HIS AIRCRAFT NEVER RETURNED TO SAIPAN, AND HE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DECLARED KILLED IN ACTION.