Photo's of the 27th Commanding Officer of the 380th SCS, Col Michael Assid, 2010 /Assid Photo's

Rodney Ross Wilder, Birth: Jan. 10, 1917 Death: Jun. 6, 1964
Entered military service November, 1940 as Flying Cadet. Graduated from flying training and commissioned as Second Lieutenant in May, 1941. Was co-pilot on B-25 that sighted and sank Japanese submarine on December 24, 1941 at mouth of Columbia River. After Tokyo Raid, served as Bombardment Squadron Commander in England, North Africa, Italy , and Corsica. Returned to United States in May, 1944 and served as base commander at bases in Texas and Oklahoma. Reverted to inactive status in June, 1947.

Was Regional Director of General Services Administration. Decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 9 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Chinese Army, Navy, and Air Corps Medal, Class A, 1st Grade.

Obituary from the Williamson County Sun, 11 June 1964, Georgetown, TX.

Colonel Ross Wilder, 47, Dies Of
Heart Attack, Is Buried In Taylor

Last rites for Col. Ross Wilder of Taylor, whose career during World War II brought him many military honors, were held in Taylor Tuesday afternoon. He died in Dallas early Saturday evening of a heart attack. He was 47 years old.

Col. Wilder, a student of Southwestern University 1934-1938, was a pilot with Jimmy Doolittle as the first bombs were dropped on Tokyo in 1942, America's first strike at the Japanese homeland in the bitter conflict.

Col. Wilder was born in Taylor and was the son of the late Mr. & Mrs. L. A. Wilder. He was a graduate of Taylor High School and attended Southwestern University and the University of Texas. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity and a member of the Presbyterian Church.

At the time of his death, he was regional director of business affairs for the General Service Administration of the government and was a member of the regional administrative staff. He had been with GSA since 1951.

He was a task force pilot in the first raid over Tokyo, flying from the aircraft carrier Hornet. He also served as a bomber pilot in the American Defense Theater, in the Mediterranean and European theaters of operation, and in the Pacific-China-India Theaters of War.

He was decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with nine clusters, and the Military Order of China among others.

Surviving are: his wife, Mrs. Ross Wilder of Dallas; a daughter, Mrs. Shelby Kartenberger of Dallas; a son, Morris Wilder of Dallas; two grandchildren, Mary Louise and William Ross Kartenberger of Dallas; one sister, Mrs. Newton G. Holman of Taylor, and two nephews, Newton Ross Holman and Greg Holman of Taylor.

Funeral services were held at 2.p.m. Tuesday in the Condra Memorial Chapel. The Rev. Kenneth Moore officiated with burial in Taylor City Cemetery.

Doolittle flyers served as pallbearers. Story from L. Wilder, N. Holman

Photo's from Col Bill Bower and USAF/ NARA

Find a Grave; http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=20352082

Barbi Ennis Connolly, 57th BW Historical Researcher, Historian 319th BG and 321st BG

PrincessbarbiB25@msn.com _

Rodney R Wilder