Major Selden "Mack" McMillin, from Dallas, Texas, was the Deputy Commander of the 384th Bomb Group, and a man who always chose to lead by example. Right from the start, his time in the service was filled with danger, including a harrowing crash-landing in Sioux City, Iowa, when his plane's landing gear failed. Luckily, everyone walked away unharmed, but it was just a hint of what was to come. 

Wanting to fully understand the dangers his crews would face, McMillin volunteered to fly a trial combat mission over Bremen, Germany, as a co-pilot with the 303rd Bomb Group on Knockout Dropper. 

When the 384th flew their first official mission over Antwerp, Belgium, McMillin chose to fly in the waist gunner position of the B-17 Ruthless to be right in the thick of the action with his men. The mission was a success, but the unit paid a terrible price, losing two planes and multiple crew members to death or capture.

Just three days later, on June 25, 1943, McMillin took the pilot's seat of B-17F 42-5850 to lead a raid on the submarine yards in Hamburg, Germany. During the bomb run, enemy fire knocked out an engine and tore through the wing. 

Despite the heavy damage and chaos, McMillin held his course and flew straight through the enemy fire to hit the target. His incredible skill and bravery that day earned him the Silver Star, but the aircraft was too badly damaged and could not make it back to base. It crashed near the Netherlands.