Rufus Willis Mangum was born on January 1, 1928, in Stem, Granville County, North Carolina. He was the son of Otho Thomas and Maude Hofler Mangum. He attended high school there and was educated at State College, Raleigh.

Rufus served as a Sergeant in the 32nd Bomb Squadron, 301st Bomb Group, and was a passenger aboard the B-29A #44-62276 at the time of his death. On January 17, 1949, the aircraft was performing a flight from RAF Scampton (Lincolnshire) to Schilling AFB (Smoky Hill AFB) in Salina, Kansas, with an intermediate stop in Keflavik. While flying over Scotland at an altitude of 8,500 feet, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions and requested ATC the permission to climb to 14,400 feet. Shortly later, at a speed of 500 km/h, the four-engine aircraft hit the slope of the Stob na Boine Druim-fhinn mountain located two miles northwest of Lochgoilhead. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces, and a post-crash fire and all 20 occupants were killed.

Sgt Mangum is now buried in the Elmwood Cemetery, Oxford, Granville County, North Carolina, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.baaa-acro.com