If you knew or served with this Airman and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
Contact Info
Home Town Taylor, Texas
Last Address Dallas, Texas
Date of Passing Jun 06, 1964
Location of Interment Taylor City Cemetery - Taylor, Texas
He was the co-pilot in crew #5 on the Doolittle Raid. Earlier he had been the co-pilot of a B-25 that had spotted and sunk a Japanese submarine at the mouth of the Columbia River. Later he would command a B-25 unit in England, North Africa and the Mediterranean.
His DFC citation: Awarded for actions during World War II The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to First Lieutenant (Air Corps) Ross Rodney Wilder, United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary achievement as Co-Pilot of a B-25 Bomber of the 1st Special Aviation Project (Doolittle Raider Force), while participating in a highly destructive raid on the Japanese mainland on 18 April 1942. Lieutenant Wilder with 79 other officers and enlisted men volunteered for this mission knowing full well that the chances of survival were extremely remote, and executed his part in it with great skill and daring. This achievement reflects high credit on himself and the military service. Action Date: April 18, 1942 Service: Army Air Forces Rank: First Lieutenant Company: 1st Special Aviation Project Division: Doolittle Tokyo Raider Force
Crew #5 (Plane #40-2283, target Tokyo): 95th Bomb Sq. L-R: Lt. Eugene F. McGurl, navigator; Capt. David M. Jones, pilot; Lt. Denver V. Truelove, bombardier; Lt. Ross R. Wilder, copilot; Sgt. Joseph W. Manske, flight engineer/gunner. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Base, Station or City
SC, England, North Africa, Corsica
State/Country
Not Specified
Patch
310th Bombardment Group, Medium Details
B-25J "Form I-A" from the 310th Bombardment Group, 379th Bombardment Squadron stationed at Ghisonaccia, Corsica.
B-25J "She's Engaged."
Here's some of what the 310th accomplished from 1942 through 1945:
Destroyed 121 enemy aircraft against a loss of 87 B-25s**
Enemy aircraft destroyed on ground from strafing and bombing 208***
Sank 206 enemy ships from freighters and destroyers to ciaques****
Flew over 6,298,555 miles in combat operations
Some 493 personnel were injured or killed in the 310th Bomb Group
Flew 989 combat missions
Fired 1,998 75mm cannon shells
Dropped 23,984 tons of bombs
Flew 57,244 combat hours
Destroyed 34 enemy aircraft on the ground from strafing and bombing