Foil: 6 Panel: Distinguished Flying Cross Society Column: 3 Line: 50

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

Bruce R. Houghton Sr. enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps in Chicago, IL on 9 Jan. 1940. From Jan. to Oct, 1940 he attended AIRCRAFT AND ENGINES school at Chanute Field IL.
On 27 Nov. 1940 Private Houghton was assigned to the 25th BOMBARDMENT GROUP, 10th BOMB SQUADRON at Borinquen Field, Puerto Rico. Here he flew in the B-18-A planes. On 1 Apr. 1941 he became a member of the newly organized 40th BOMBARDMENT GROUP(medium), 44th SQUADRON in Puerto Rico.
On 1G June 1942, he left Puerto Rico to be stationed at various bases in the Canal Zone, Panama, Guatemala, and the Galapagos Islands. At this time Staff Sergeant Houghton was assigned as the crew chief/flight engineer on the B-17E and B-24D airplanes.
He left for Pratt Air Force Base, Kansas, on 16 June 1943 for training on the Air Force's new super heavy bomber, the B-29 SUPERFORTRESS. He was assigned as part of the United States' first "COMBAT" B-29 GROUP, and left for Chakulia, India, on 10 Apr. 1944. Technical Sergeant Houghton was the crew chief/tail gunner on the B-29. As a member of the 20th AIR FORCE, 58th WING, 40th BOMBARDMENT GROUP(very heavy), 44th SQUADRON, he flew 15 times over -THE HUMP" and 27 combat missions.
In April 1945 T/SGT Houghton and the crew of "WEMPY'S BLITZBURGER" left India for the island of Tinian. On 12 June 1945 the left for Muroc, California and the specialized "LEAD PLANE" school needed for the lead aircraft in a bombing mission. T/SGT Houghton was returning to the island of Tinian on 5-6 Aug. 1945 when he heard of the first atom bomb being dropped on Hiroshima, Japan.
On 29 Aug. 1945, Houghton left Tinian for California and was mustered out of active service on 8 Sept. 1945, as a T/SGT at Fort Sheridan, IL.