George T. Kruse was born in 1922, in New York. He served in the 364th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Top Turret Gunner of B-17G #42-40020 nicknamed "Good Pickin" during World War II.

On February 8, 1944, the "Good Pickin" was shot down during a bombing mission over Frankfurt, Germany. The aircraft departed from Station 105 in Chelveston, Northamptonshire, UK, at 08:30. While flying over France, it came under attack by enemy fighters near Lassigny, about 11 kilometers west of Noyon in the Oise department. Five crew members managed to evacuate before the aircraft crashed at 10:33 AM.

SSgt Kruse was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, Colleville-sur-Mer, Departement du Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France.

Source of information: http://francecrashes39-45.net/