Durward Frederick Bund

Durward Frederick Bund enlisted into the Army Air Force Reserves on Oct. 4, 1942, just a day before his 18th birthday. He was called into Active Service on Jan. 27, 1943. His early training included stations at Miami Beach, Florida, Buckhannon, West Virginia, and Nashville, Tennessee. His pre-flight training took him to Maxwell Field, Alabama.

From Maxwell, he was transferred to Arcadia Airfield in Florida for Primary Training. Finally, he received his Basic Training at Courtland Army Airfield in Alabama. On Dec. 1, 1943, A/C Bund took off in a BT-13A Valiant for a routine training flight at night, alongside 18 other aircraft. Of the 19 aircraft that took off that night, only 11 returned. Eight trainers crashed on that single flight over three different states.

Bund's remains were not discovered until days later near Iuka, Mississippi. His funeral service occurred on Dec. 26, 1943, in Brooklyn, Wisconsin. He is buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in Brooklyn, Wisconsin. Aviation Cadet Bund was killed piloting U.S. Army Air Corps BT-13A #42-42607 when the plane stalled and he lost control nine miles northwest of Luka, Mississippi.