Burr Patton Hereford Jr. was born on December 8, 1919, in Cliff, Floyd County, Kentucky. He was the son of Burr Hereford and Amanda May Auxier Hereford.

Burr was studying pre-law at the University of Kentucky when he enlisted in the military in 1942. He was serving in the 407th Bomber Squadron, 92nd Bomb Group, as a Second Lieutenant and Navigator on the B-17 Fortress #42-29967 "Ruthie" during World War II.

On July 4, 1943, his crew took off from Station 109 in Podington, England, to bomb the Château-Bougon airfield and SNCASO factories. Hit by flak and shot down by fighters at around 12:30 PM, their airplane crashed 1 km from La Guérinière beach. All members survived the crash, but all of them were captured. 2Lt Heford was sent to Stalag Luft III in Zagan, Poland.

Burr settled in Sacramento after he was released from the military and owned a furniture store for a short time before he became a painting contractor. He was divorced three times. He died on June 27, 2000, at the age of 80, in Carmichael, Sacramento County, California. He is now buried in the Moffett Cemetery, Milton, Trimble County, Kentucky.

Source of information: francecrashes39-45.net, www.findagrave.com