Dana Thomas Mudd is the son of Mr. & Mrs. O.C. Mudd on Chapman St.,Edwardsville IL. Dana grew up in Edwardsville and attended local public schools here and last attended Edwardsville High School in 1936. He enlisted in the Army Air Force at Randolph Field, Texas in 1939 and subsequently attended aviation mechanics school at Chanute Field near Rantool IL. Staff Sergeant Mudd, an instructor at Sheppard Field, Texas, transferred to Glider Command and was trained at Okmulgee, Oklahoma and Lamesa, Texas before earning his wings at Dalhart, Texas. Flight Officer Mudd married Ms. Mary U. Snyder in McKinney, Texas and took advanced training at various flight lines before being sent overseas in early 1944. Flight Officer Mudd was a glider pilot in the 91st Squadron, 439th Troop Carrier Group and was in the first flight of 22 gliders to Groesbeek, Holland during "Operation Market Garden". F.O. Mudd piloted a CG-4A WACO glider transporting members and equipment of the 80th Airborne Anti-Aircraft Battalion and landed successfully, but soon came under enemy fire. All the gliders had taken enemy fire and there were many wounded. F.O. Mudd comandeered a truck and began evacuating the wounded back to friendly lines. Six times Flight Officer Mudd transported the wounded, but on his sixth return trip, he was ambushed and killed by German soldiers. Flight Officer Dana T. Mudd is buried at Neuville-en-Condroz U.S. Military Cemetery in Belgium. Besides his wife and parents, he is survived by two brothers, Howard R. and Robert C. Mudd. He was 24 years and one month of age.
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