Hugo P. Rush

Hugo P. Rush was the CO of the 47th Bomb Wing.

He went overseas in July 1942 to become commander of the 98th Bomb Group. The following month he led the group in combat operations from Palestine in support of the British Eighth Army, then deadlocked with Rommel's Afrika Corps at El Alemain, after which he commanded in the successful Desert Campaign and movement forward to Bengasi.

Rush returned to the United States in 1943 to become commander of the 15th Wing and chief of staff of the Second Bomber Command, both at Gowen Field, Idaho.

In February 1944 he was reassigned to the Mediterranean as commander of the 47th Bombardment Wing of the 15th Air Force, which operated from Italy against targets in Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Greece, Southern France and Northern Italy. He personally participated in 32 combat missions.

Missions Flown

Upon his return to the Mediterranean, he flew on 4 missions with the 376 as an observer.

Missions as observer

#   Date            A/C serial  nickname                     Target                            Pilot  
1 3/29/1944   42-40317 Barrel House Bessie   Bolzano Italy              81  Herbert Brown
2 6/  9/1944   42-109844        ----                 Munich Germany       78  John Shepard
3 8/29/1944        ?               Little Jot                Borovnica Yugoslavia 52  Henry Miller
4 8/30/1944   42-51635          ----                 Cuprija Yugoslavia     71  Peter Arth