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S/Sgt Reuben A. Carr graduated from Eufaula High School and Gadsden School of Trades. He joined the Army Air Corps in December 1939.

He was first stationed at Pearl Harbor where he was awarded the Silver Star Medal. The citation stated: "The Silver Star is presented to Reuben A. Carr, Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Force, for gallantry in action while serving with the 22nd Material Squadron, during the Japanese air attack on the Island of Oahu, Territory of Hawaii, on 7 December 1941. With disregard for his personal safety, Sergeant Carr volunteered to man a machine gun whose crew had been killed. Sergeant Carr then immediately set forth under continued fire to the dismantled machine gun, putting it in action, and continued to deliver an effective, accurate fire upon the Japanese aircraft throughout the entire raid. The bravory, coolness and good judgement displayed by Sergeant Carr on this occasion, reflects great credit upon himself and the military service."
The aircraft took part in a bombing mission to submarine pens at Wilhelmshaven on 15 May 1943, at which time 3 aircrafts were lost from the 306th Group. Flak was intense and the cause of the loss is unknown.

The airplane crashlanded in shallow water between Neuwerk Island and Couxhaven, Germany. An attempt to salvage the plane was initially postponed because the bombs were still on board. Under difficult circumstances the bombs were blown up by the aid of fishing boats from 2 to 4 June 1943.

Four crew members survived and were taken prisoner, six were killed.