The long search for X-3144

 

         S/Sgt Robert G. Rudd

         Company C, 38th Infantry

             Gattesville, Texas

 

 

After the accidental recovery of Alfonse Sito in 1988 and the subsequent creation of the MIA Project, the collection of specific and accurate information became vital for future research. From the early beginning of the project, a number of X-files were considered and studied. The most significant was X-3144 (more on X-files)

The remains of X-3144 were removed from a temporary cemetery erected by civilians of Wirtzfeld, Belgium, in the spring of 1945. The cemetery was established at the southern edge of a forest known to locals as the Elsenbüchel Forest. The site has been the scene of extremely bitter combats during the fights for the Elsenborn Ridge and once again on the 30-31 January, 1945, when it became one of the objectives of the large US Vth Corps attack. This large scale attack was aimed at recapturing the ground lost in December. The Elsenbüchel Forest, for its part, was the objective of the 393rd Infantry of the 99th Division. Immediately to the south of the forest, the twin villages of Rocherath Krinkelt were swept by the 38^th and 9^th Infantry Regiments of the 2nd Division. Extreme winter conditions and a bitter German resistance generated a high rate of casualties.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The little temporary cemetery contained the remains of 7 US servicemen and 53 German soldiers. On March 27, 1946, the seven US remains were disinterred and transferred to Neuville-en-Condroz US Military Cemetery, Belgium, by the Army GRS. Six of the seven remains were identified, the seventh remained unidentified and was eventually buried as Unknown X-3144. The remains were disinterred once more on October 30, 1948 by Detachment B of the 7887 AGRC. Anthropologists at the chemical laboratory of the Central Identification Point conducted additional forensic examinations to identify the remains. No major progress were made and on December 22, 1948, a board of 3 AGR officers declared X-3144 non identifiable and the body was definitely reburied

X-3144 file indeed contained a number of disturbing information. The remains were found with a helmet named to John T. Puckett. Sgt Puckett was indeed missing in action in that same vicinity and for sometime associated with X-3144. But Puckett’s physical description, such as hair color and estimated height, didn’t match with X-3144. This was later confirmed when our team recovered Puckett in a common grave at the forest edge (see Cold Case). The near total absence of skull and teeth on X-3144 was pertinent with a head wound caused by a shell fragment and rendering the dental chart useless. Also, the remains described as “crushed” and “mangled” would correspond in result to the concussion of a shell detonating at very close range. Despite an advanced stage of decomposition, remnants of US Army ground forces uniform were still present on X-3144 remains

With the location of the temporary cemetery at the southern edge of the 99^th Division sector and the number of 99^th Division missing servicemen recorded in that specific area, several names of potential individuals could be associated to X-3144. Those cases were studied and one specific 99^th Division soldier shared a number of similar physical description with X-3144. The height, hair color and known cause of death were similar. The dental charts showed a number of discrepancies rendering all of them useless.

In December 2017, our team provided a 33 page report to DPAA (Defense POWMIA Accounting Agency), presenting reasonable similarities between X-3144 and a specific individual of the 99^th Infantry Division. Our report was reviewed by a DPAA board and a disinterment procedure granted. X-3144 was disinterred from Neuville en Condroz American Cemetery, Belgium, in 2021 and transferred to the DPAA identification facility in Nebraska.

 

 

It took about two years to establish a positive identification. Not to the specific individual we had previously expected, even not to a 99th Division soldier. X-3144 was identified as S/Sgt Robert G. Rudd, a squad leader in Company C, 38th Infantry, 2nd Division. S/Sgt Rudd was reported MIA on January 30, 1945 north of Rocherath, Belgium.

Although our report was focused on the wrong individual and although it didn’t concern a 99th Division serviceman, our team is proud to have contributed in bringing closure to another family. In its press release, the DPAA, as usual, congratulates itself on having carried out this research and the subsequent identification but we all know that without our report, S/Sgt Rudd would still be an unknown in Neuville military Cemetery.

The 34 year old resident of Gattesville, Texas, is remembered on the Walls of the Missing at Margraten Military Cemetery, Netherlands. A rosette will be soon placed next to his name to confirm he is no longer missing.

After resting almost 78 years as an unknown in a military cemetery overseas, S/Sgt Robert G. Rudd is now back home. He was buried on December 9, 2023, at Bethel Cemetery in Gattesville, Texas. Bethel Cemetery has been closed for many years and will reopen for S/Sgt Rudd to finally be laid to rest beside his parents.