Gordon F Zrust

(1-1-1922 to 12-28-2011) Funeral Feb 24, 9:30 AM at Funerarial Del Angel, Greer-Wilson Chapel 5921 W. Thomas Rd, Phx. 85033 (623-245-0994). Military Cemetery Ceremony at 2:00 on Feb. 24 at National Memorial Cemetery, 23029 N. Cave Creek Rd. Phx 85024 (480)513-3600.

In lieu of flowers, send donations to Saint Jude’s Children Research Hospital Acct 29986912 P.O. Box 1000 Dept 142 Memphis, TN 38148 (800) 873-6983.

Gordon F. Zrust’s Autobiography:

Hello, I’m Gordon F. Zrust, often called Gordy, salesman, businessman, and entrepreneur. I was born on a farm in Minnesota in 1922 so I have the advantage of having viewed life over a considerable span of time including the Great Depression. For you astrology buffs, I’m a Capricorn, but don’t put much stock into that. Religious wise, I was brought up Roman Catholic and went through the parochial school system. I’ve also been a Methodist and a Presbyterian, don’t belong to any church right now and am keeping my options open. I was a combat flying officer with the Army Air Corps during World War II, been shot down and a prisoner of war by the Nazis. My wife and I farmed for a couple of years after the war, been in dairy retailing and managed 15 dairy routes for a couple of years. I studied business management and this gave me an insight of how to solve problems. In 1975, I started selling real estate. I also became a business broker when the interest rates got so high it was difficult to sell houses. And yes, I got married when in the service in 1944 and am still happily so with my first wife. We have two grown and educated children.

Gordon F. Zrust World War 2 Interview:

I volunteered to join the U.S. Army Air Corps as an air cadet in late 1942 and was promptly sent to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. We went as a group from Minneapolis and I was put in charge of the group on the train. There we were introduced to the marching discipline and given our shots. The most memorable incident there was getting a tetanus shot that got most people sick but it didn’t affect me at all.

After spending four weeks there we were sent to the Teacher’s College in St. Cloud, Minnesota where we spent another six weeks brushing up on various courses. From there we were sent to the Army Air Corps training base in San Diego where we were given a very intense physical that lasted an entire week. After which over half of the applicants were washed out. They also decided whether we would get trained as pilots, navigators or bombardiers. I got bombardier. Then we spent the next six weeks in Basic Training after which we were given a 2 weeks vacation and sent back home. From there we reported to the Air Base at Kingman, Arizona for gunnery training where we were introduced to the 50 caliber machine gun and practiced shooting at targets being pulled by planes. Also we learned how to shoot the 45 caliber pistol and took shooting practice learning how to lead while using shot guns at clay pigeons.. After completing that training I was sent to Muroc Air Base at Victorville, California, for advanced, Training where we were trained to use the Norden bomb site while flying in Beachcraft bomber training planes. We also received training in navigation so we had both certificates. I was appointed a cadet lieutenant and put in charge of the group that occupied the second floor. Once we were inspected by a general who told me that our group was the best looking group that he had ever come across. Meanwhile, on Jan. 8th my girl friend Virginia and I got married on the base. On March 18, 1944 I graduated and became a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Air Corps. After that we were split up and assigned to crews in training in B-17’s at the Transitional Air Base at Rapid City, South Dakota. While there one evening a crew that had been assigned to a night flight was missing their navigator and they asked me to fill in. But just before takeoff he showed up and went on the flight. The plane hit a mountain and they all were killed., Close call. After completing transitional training we were sent to Kearney Nebraska where they had us switch navigators and one of our waist gunners. From there we got a new B-17 and flew it to Gander Bay, Newfoundland and there to Iceland and landed on July 4, 1944. We flew to somewhere in Ireland and left the plane and took transportation to a training base in England where I learned the new British navigation system using A G-Box which was very easy to use and very accurate. From there we went to the 306 the bomb group and the 367 bomb squadron of the 8th Air Force from where we went into combat immediately.

On Sept 12th, while on a bombing raid near Berlin on my 12th mission, we were attacked by German fighter planes from the rear while in flak and the plane was hit in the engines with one shell passing just in front of my feet. The tail gunner was killed but the rest of us escaped by parachuting out. I landed in a tree and dropped to the ground a short distance by unharnessing my chute and was captured a short time later on a trail in an evergreen tree farm. From there I was taken to a central point where the rest of my crew were assembled along with crew members of other B-17’s that had been shot down. While there I was interrogated by the Germans but gave them only my name, rank and serial number as we were instructed to do.

From there we were taken to the train station at Frankfort on the Rhine where the German civilians were enraged at seeing us. They had endured night bombing raids by the British and hated us. However, the German army kept them at bay while we boarded a train to take us to our destination, Stalag Luft I near Barth and close to the Baltic sea way up North.

Before we went on combat missions we were issued Escape Kits which included maps of the area printed on cloth to make them easier to carry. They showed logical escape routes leading to Switzerland, Sweden or Spain. However, when using Spain one would have to go through France and travel over the Pyrennes Mountains The route one might use would depend on which country was the closest. Included in the kit there was a very small compass about a quarter inch in diameter. Anyway, during the first night after being captured I was able to open a small hole in the collar of my T shirt using my eye teeth , slip the compass in and then move it to the back of the shirt so it wouldn’t get noticed. A man’s T shirt‘s collar is rolled over and doubled making about an inch of border and this is the area that I used.

After getting to the main POW camp of Stalag Luft I, I separately from the others, was interrogated by a high-ranking American Army Air Corps officer and I gave the compass to him and showed him how it was slipped by the Nazis. He thanked me as it would be valuable for any planned escape.

After approximately 8 & 1/2 months we were liberated by the Russian army which was marching on to Berlin. They treated us to their version of A USO show which was very nice with lots of dancing. From there we went by railroad to France, and then by shipped to Boston and from there home to see my wife and baby daughter that I had never seen.