Billie Cruce Pollard was born on June 11, 1923, in Wood County, Texas. He was the son of Nicholas Seaborn "Nick" Pollard and Minnie Mae Cruce Pollard. He served in the 715th Bomber Squadron, 448th Bomber Group, as a Staff Sergeant and Left Waist Gunner of B-24H #42-64444 nicknamed "Consolidated Mess" during World War II.

On December 30, 1943, the "Consolidated Mess," crashed in France while on a bombing mission targeting the refinery and port facilities in Ludwigshafen, Germany. The aircraft had departed from Station 146 in Seething, Norfolk, UK. While flying over the Oise department, near the communes of Feigneux or Russy-Bémont—about 4 kilometers northeast of Crépy-en-Valois—it came under attack by enemy fighters. Only part of the crew was able to evacuate before the aircraft struck the ground at 13:45, exploding on impact and being completely consumed by fire.

SSgt Pollard was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial, Epinal, Departement des Vosges, Lorraine, France.

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