Rube J. Waits Jr. was born on July 22, 1925, in Georgia. He was the son of Ruby James "Rube" Waits Sr. and Mary Lou Eckles Waits. He served in the 760th Bomber Squadron, 460th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Gunner of B-24 #41-29291 during World War II.

On June 30, 1944, B-24H 41-29291 also joined the Fifteenth Air Force strike on Blechhammer, flying deep into German-held territory as part of the long-range strategic effort to cripple Axis fuel production. After releasing its payload, the bomber began the difficult homeward journey, navigating thunderstorms, heavy flak belts, and persistent Luftwaffe fighter attacks. Over northern Lake Balaton, the aircraft came under renewed pressure as enemy fighters pounced on stragglers from the American stream. Damaged and unable to hold altitude, 41-29291 broke away and attempted an emergency descent toward the countryside near Nemesvita, just north of the lake. The Liberator crashed in the rural terrain there, scattering debris and leading to an immediate German response. Some crewmen were killed outright, while others survived to be taken prisoner.

SSgt Waits was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Marietta National Cemetery, Marietta, Cobb County, Georgia, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, norwalkctheroes.org, www.15thaf.org