World War II Honoree

Billy D. Queen

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

St. Joseph, Missouri

Honored By

Jerry Penry

RANK: SERGEANT. SERVED AS A B-24 ‘LIBERATOR’ BOMBER GUNNER, WHO WAS KILLED MAY 5, 1944 ALONG WITH FIVE OTHER CREWMEN DURING A LOW-LEVEL GUNNERY TRAINING MISSION. THE CREW BASED AT MCCOOK, NEBRASKA ARMY AIR FIELD WAS CONDUCTING THEIR TRAINING AT THE SCOTTSBLUFF GUNNERY RANGE. THE PILOT WAS FLYING AT A VERY LOW, UNSAFE, ALTITUDE WHEN THE BOMBER FLEW INTO SOME RISING TERRAIN, SKIDDED ON ITS BELLY FOR SOME DISTANCE AND THEN EXPLODED INTO FLAMES. THE NAVIGATOR AND A GUNNER SURVIVED THE ACCIDENT WHEN THE BOMBER CRASHED NORTH OF MORRILL, NEBRASKA.