Bruce Kilmer

Bruce Kilmer was born Dec. 4, 1919, in Baltimore, Md. and died on Memorial Day, May 28, 2007, at his home in Dallas. Bruce and family moved to Dallas in 1925. He was a 1937 graduate of Sunset High School in Dallas and a 1947 graduate of Southern Methodist University, where he played baseball for the Mustangs.

A veteran of World War II, Bruce was a first lieutenant in the Army Air Corps. He was a B-17 pilot, 547th Squadron, stationed in Grafton Underwood, England. On Oct. 14, 1943, his airplane was shot down over France on Black Thursday (second Schweinfurt mission). He was with the French Underground for six months until he was captured by the Germans. He spent the next year as a prison of war in Stalag Luft 3 in Sagan, Germany, Stalag 13D at Nurnberg and Stalag 7A in Moosberg. In April 1945, his POW camp was liberated by Patton’s 3rd Army, and his younger brother, Sgt. Tommy Kilmer, who Bruce did not recognize at first because Tommy had been in high school when Bruce left for war in early 1942.

In his retirement years, Bruce spent a great deal of time speaking to school groups about the war. He participated in the University of North Texas Oral History Collection and was featured in the History Channel’s B-17 Flying Fortress, part of the Heavy Metal documentary series.

Bruce was a retired polygraph/private investigator and administrator of Boys Baseball Inc. Together with his wife, Flo, he spent 31 years providing thousands of Dallas County boys with an opportunity to play the game they both love, baseball.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Carrie Mae Secrist Kilmer and Robert Bruce Kilmer Sr.; and his brother, Tommy Kilmer.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Flo Kilmer; his son, Robert Bruce Kilmer III and wife Christy; his daughter, Kathy Moak and husband Eldridge of Jacksonville; his grandchildren, Emily Moak of Austin, Carrie Moak Kesler and husband Mike of Jacksonville, Susan Moak Bertram and husband Eric of San Antonio, Laura and Jonathan Bender, Robert Kilmer and Ryan Kilmer; his great-grandchildren, Grace Bender and Audrey Bender; and his brother, Cal Kilmer.

Bruce was a member of Northridge Presbyterian Church, as well as, the 8th Air Force Historical Society, 384th Bomb Group, Order of the Purple Heart – Dallas Chapter 542 and the Dallas Metroplex Prisoners of War.

A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Friday, June 1, 2007, at Northridge Presbyterian Church, with the Rev. Roger Quillen and the Rev. Brent Barrie presiding.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Northridge Presbyterian Church, 6920 Bob-O-Link Dr., Dallas, TX 75214.


 

Information from The Jacksonville Daily Progress