Bruce George Sundlun was born on January 19, 1920, in Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island. He was the son of Walter Irving Sundlun and Jennette Zelda ""Jan"" Colitz Sundlun. He enlisted in the service on December 8, 1941. He served in the 545th Bomber Squadron, 384th Bomb Group, Heavy, as a Second Lieutenant and Pilot of B-17F #41-24557 nicknamed 'Damn Yankee' during World War II.

On December 1, 1943, the B-17F “Damn Yankee” departed Grafton Underwood, England, on its 13th combat mission targeting the industrial city of Solingen in Germany’s Ruhr region. During the bombing run, the aircraft was struck by heavy German anti-aircraft fire, damaging its engines and leaving its bomb bay doors stuck open, which caused it to lose speed and fall behind formation as a vulnerable “straggler.” It was soon intercepted by Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighters that repeatedly attacked, inflicting severe damage, setting engines ablaze, disabling control systems, and killing or wounding crew members. Despite the crew’s efforts to defend the aircraft, the situation became hopeless as it lost altitude and control. Upon reaching Belgium near Jabbeke, the pilot and his co-pilot struggled to maintain control before ordering the crew to bail out; in a final act of heroism, the pilot steered the crippled bomber away from the town to avoid civilian casualties. At approximately 13:15, the aircraft crashed into a turnip field along Zomerweg. Of the ten-man crew, five were killed in the crash. At the same time, five escaped by parachute, German forces captured four, and Sundlun evaded capture.

2Lt Sundlun later worked with the French Resistance under the codename “Salamander” before escaping to Switzerland. He was subsequently recruited for intelligence work with the OSS and continued flying missions in other theaters, earning multiple military decorations and eventually retiring as a colonel in the Air Force Reserve. After the war, Sundlun built a successful career in law and business, serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and later helping lead and revive Executive Jet Aviation (now NetJets). He also became president and CEO of The Outlet Company, expanding its retail and broadcasting operations. Entering politics, he won the Rhode Island governorship in 1990 after two earlier defeats and was reelected in 1992. As governor, he addressed a major banking crisis, promoted tourism and economic growth, and oversaw key infrastructure projects, including improvements to T.F. Green Airport and the development of the Rhode Island Convention Center.

Beyond his governorship, Sundlun held several national public service roles and remained active in education as a lecturer at the University of Rhode Island. He died on July 21, 2011, and is now buried in the Sons of David and Israel Cemetery, Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.usmilitariaforum.com, en.wikipedia.org