▁Air ▁Field ▁at ▁Green ville , ▁Mississippi , ▁and ▁George ▁Field ▁in ▁Lawrence ville , ▁Illinois . ▁ ▁During ▁over se as ▁active ▁duty ▁beginning ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁Sund l un ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁B - 1 7 ▁F lying ▁Fort ress ▁pilot ▁in ▁the ▁England - based ▁ 5 4 5 th ▁Bomb ard ment ▁Squadron , ▁ 3 8 4 th ▁Bomb ▁Group ▁of ▁the ▁E ighth ▁Air ▁Force ▁at ▁G raft on - Under wood ▁Air ▁Base . ▁On ▁December ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁during ▁his ▁ 1 3 th ▁bomb ing ▁mission , ▁his ▁plane ▁the ▁Dam n ▁Yan kee ▁was ▁dam aged ▁by ▁fla k ▁during ▁the ▁bomb ing ▁of ▁Sol ingen , ▁Germany , ▁knock ing ▁out ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁engines ▁and ▁jam ming ▁the ▁bomb ▁bay ▁doors ▁in ▁an ▁open ▁position . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁slow ed ▁return ▁trip ▁to ▁England , ▁the ▁dam aged ▁Dam n ▁Yan kee ▁was ▁intercept ed ▁by ▁a ▁squad ron ▁of ▁Mess ersch mitt ▁B f ▁ 1 0 9 ▁f igh ters ▁while ▁over ▁Naz i - occup ied ▁J ab be ke , ▁Belg ium , ▁and ▁they ▁inf lic ted ▁further ▁damage ▁to ▁the ▁plane ▁causing ▁its ▁crash . ▁ ▁Sund l un ▁and ▁his ▁cop il ot ▁L t . ▁Andrew ▁J . ▁B oles ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁bank ▁the ▁air plane ▁hard ▁to ▁the ▁left ▁to ▁avoid ▁crash ing ▁into ▁the ▁town ▁center ▁and ▁d itch