Russell Estrate served in the 873rd Bomber Squadron, 498th Bomber Group, as a Master Sergeant and was a passenger on the B-29 #44-61666 'Sweet Sixteen' at the time of his death.

On September 4, 1945, the ship he was in was dropping relief supplies to the POW camp in Kawaminami Kogyo Koyagijima Shipyard in Koyagi Village, Nishisonogi District, Nagasaki Prefecture (now Koyagi Town, Nagasaki City ). However, due to an unknown circumstance, they crashed into Mount Sashiki on the opposite shore of Koyagi Island, killing thirteen members of the crew (including MSgt Estrate). Only one survived. The bodies of those who were killed were cremated in the pow camp by the prisoners of war and enshrined in the Oura Catholic Church. MSgt Estrate has a cenotaph in the Manila American Cemetery, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines.