Jon Rudolf Schueler
Military
Printed caption on reverse: 'First American Raid On Germany. Flying Fortresses and Liberators of the U.S. Army Air Corps carried out their first raid on Germany Wednesday last. O.P.S., left to right:- Sgt. William Fleming (Burdine, KY); 1st Lt. Jon R. Schueler (Milwakee, Wis.); T/Sgt. Edward J. Doughty (Philadepha, Penn.); T/Sgt. Waldo B. Brandt, (Denver, Ind.).'
On reverse: Ministry of Information, Barratt's Photo Press, US Army Press Agency ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps]. Roger Freeman Collection
Amended the caption and connections from 306th Bomb Group to 303rd Bomb Group as all of the airman in the photo served in the 303rd Bomb Group and the handwritten caption on the back of the print indicates that the collector of the image was not sure whether it showed airmen of the 306th BG or 303rd BG.
Object Number - FRE 4419 - Airmen of the 303rd Bomb Group discuss their last mission in front of their B-17 Flying Fortress. Passed as censored 29 Jan 1943. Handwritten caption...
Schueler was an original member of the 303rd Bomb Group, arriving in the UK with the unit in November 1942. He completed 8 combat missions, all with Captain Billy Southworth flying as pilot. Schueler was grounded on 16 February 1943 and hospitalised for emotional distress- he was medically discharged in February 1944.
On his return to the US Schueler moved to Los Angeles where he attempted to write a book about his experiences during the war. After attending a weekly painting class from 1945, Schueler signed up for the California School of Fine Arts under the GI Bill in 1948, where he studied under the Abstract Expressionist painter Clyfford Still.
Schueler held his first solo exhibition in New York in 1954, and in 1957 set up a studio in Mallaig, Scotland. He became a renowned Abstract Expressionist painter, Schueler's works are held in many major museums across the world.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
![Baseball player Captain Billie Southworth, a pilot of the 303rd Bomb Group plays ball beneath the wings of his B-17 Flying Fortress. Image stamped on reverse: 'Copyright Planet News.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 18 Jul 1943.' [stamp] and '274987.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Ball player in US Army Air Force in Britain. Among well known Americans in the atheletic world serving with the US army Air Force in Britain is Captain Billie Southworth, pilot of a Fortress bomber. He is the son of](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-378837.jpg.webp?itok=v09RfsKf)
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-424792
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Bad Check
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
![Captain Albert W. Dieffenback, a bombardier of the 303rd Bomb Group, admires Bugs Bunny painted onto the nose of his B-17 Flying Fortress. Passed as censored 9 May 1943. Printed caption on reverse: '14. Captain Albert W. Dieffenbach, of Garrett Park, Md., and the bomber in which he flies as group bombardier.' On reverse: US Army Press Censor ETO [Stamp].](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-407609.jpg.webp?itok=_FHnam-K)
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: S For Sugar
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: No 11 Combat Crew Replacement Center No 1 Combat Crew Replacement Center 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Milwaukee County, WI, USA | 12 September 1916 | Son of George Arnold and Clara [Haase] Schueler. |
|
Enlisted |
Milwaukee, WI, USA | 9 October 1941 | |
|
Other Medically discharged |
12 February 1944 | ||
|
Died |
New York, NY, USA | 5 August 1992 | |
|
Based |
Molesworth | 16 February 1943 | Assigned to 427BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. |
| Los Angeles, CA, USA | |||
| San Francisco, CA, USA |
