Donald Blexrud Bruns
MilitaryShot 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
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- 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
- Site type: Airfield
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
Contributorcall0031
Changes
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