Bruce R. Mitchell was born on November 7, 1923 in Cumberland, Maryland. He served as a Sergeant and Radio Operator on B-17G #42-97398, 836th Bomber Squadron, 487th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. He enlisted in the Army on March 16, 1943 in Baltimore, Maryland. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Retail manager and also as Single, without dependents.

Bruce was declared "Missing In Action" when his B-17 was hit by enemy flak and crashed into the North Sea. His name is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing, Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

B-17G 42-97398 crew:
• Gatlin Jr, Claude E – 2/Lt – Pilot – MIA
• Uber, Frank J – 2/Lt – Copilot – MIA
• Smathers, Harold E – F/O – Navigator – MIA
• Bybee, Melvin G – Sgt – Togglier – MIA
• King, Robert H – Sgt – Engineer – MIA
• Mitchell, Bruce R – Sgt – Radio Operator – MIA
• Wright, George T – Sgt – Ball Turret Gunner – MIA
• Zaiger, Roy J – Sgt – Waist Gunner – MIA
• Kane, Stephen P – Sgt – Tail Gunner – MIA

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov