Reuben Herbert Halvorson was born on May 25, 1923, in Polk County, Minnesota. He was the son of Thone Halvorson. He registered for the draft on June 30, 1942, and later enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps on November 13, 1942. He served in the 749th Bomb Squadron, 457th Bomb Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Radio Operator Gunner of the B-17 (42-31629) known as ''Raven's Haven'' during World War II.

On April 9, 1944, during a raid over the Polish port city of Gdynia, the aircraft sustained heavy damage from German anti-aircraft defenses and was subsequently attacked by Fw 190 fighters. The assault crippled the plane, disabling one of its engines and compromising its cockpit. Despite efforts by pilot Lt. David P. Parks to maintain control, the damage forced the crew to abandon the aircraft over German territory. Out of the ten crew members aboard, seven were killed, while three survived and were taken as prisoners of war. SSgt Halvorson was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, USA.

Source of information: www.americanairmuseum.com, www.findagrave.com