Truman graduated from WH Adamson High School in Dallas, TX in June 1940. He joined the Army Air Forces in January 1942. After completing basic training, he was assigned to a B-17 crew as a waist gunner, as part of the 306th Bomb Group, 367th Bomb Squadron. After being activated at Boise Idaho in March, they were deployed to Thurleigh, Bedford County England in August 1942. Their training continued until they were ready for their first combat mission on October 9, 1942. It would also be their last.

The crew of Snoozy II took off from England at 0800 to find their place in the formation headed to their target area in Lille, France. The Snoozy II was hit by flak, setting the right inboard engine on fire. The co-pilot was able to extinguish it and the crew released the bomb load.

Suddenly they found themselves surround by German ME-109s. Twenty-two year old German pilot, Otto Stammberger, approached from the rear, firing into the engines on the left wing, then the right. The plane went into a flat spin, crashing in Vandeville, France. Truman was last seen still firing from the ball turret.

Three men were able to bail out and survive the war. Al LaChasse gave a full account of the incident in the book Castles in the Air by Martin W. Bowman. In 1992, LaChasse would meet the man who shot them down for an emotional reunion. His story of survival is told in the book, So Long Guys, Goodbye is Forever: A Memoir of Bombardier Lt. Albert LaChasse.

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Crewmembers of B-17F #41-24510 "Snoozy II" killed in action:

CAPT John W Olson, O-430684, MA, Pilot

TSGT Thomas W Dynan Jr, 32190053, NY, Radio Operator

SSGT Bert E Kaylor, 14077938, TN, Tail Gunner

Crewmembers of B-17F #41-24510 "Snoozy II" killed in action in the group burial:

2LT Joseph N Gates, O-726221, CA, Co- Pilot

SSGT Bruce C Nicholson, 6937694, MN, Ball Turret Gunner

SSGT Truman C Wilder Jr, 18039746, TX, Waist Gunner

41-23678 Liberator Big Eagle/Bathtub Bessie crew killed in action in group burial:

1LT Carl N Garrott, Navigator

2LT William A Marsh, Bombardier