Donald Blexrud Bruns

Military

Shot down 24 August 1944 on his 21st mission. Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft III. Liberated May 1945.

Don was a past President of the 8th Air Force Historical Society - Minnesota Chapter. See his webpage at

https://sites.google.com/site/8thafhsmn/pictures/don-bruns-379th-bg

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

The insignia of the 379th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 527th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 31280258
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 527th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 527th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 527th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 527th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Ronny Boy
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 527th Bomb Squadron

Missions

  • Date: 24 August 1944

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

6 October 1920 Ashland County, Wisconsin

Enlisted

11 June 1942 As a Private in the Air Corps, in Ironwood, Michigan

Other

Made prisoner

24 August 1944 captured near Burgstaden, NW of Merseburg, Germany

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

24 August 1944 Interned in Germany. NARA WWII POW records : "Returned to Military Control 21 July 1945"

Died

19 June 2002 in Hudson, Ste Croix County, Wisconsin

Buried

Donald Bruns rests at the Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Millen, Ashland County, Wisconsin

Revisions

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

Added where he lived

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 8284
NARA WWII Enlistment records
NARA WWII POW records

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 8284
NARA WWII Enlistment Records
NARA WWII POW records

Date
Contributorcall0031
Changes
Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

B-17 Flying Fortress Association    MACR 8284; 379th Bombardment Group Anthology, pg 318 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 8284 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database