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Personal info

Full name
RICHARD, Harold G
Date of birth
19 February 1920
Age
24
Place of birth
Crystal Springs, Copiah County, Mississippi
Hometown
Crystal Springs, Copiah County, Mississippi

Military service

Service number
O-802148
Rank
First Lieutenant
Function
Pilot
Unit
423rd Bombardment Squadron,
306th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
20 February 1944
Place of death
Near the airfield of Erfurt, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
B 41 39

Immediate family

Members
Ki Richard (father)
Sue Richard (mother)
Roy Richard (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-97463
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Leipzig, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the airfield
MACR: 2430

More information

Harold G. Richardworked on a farm.

He joined the Air Corps of the Regular Army in Jackson, Mississippi on 6 October 1941.

The group was attacked by German fighters and in the ensuing battle which lasted for 15 to 20 min, the airplane went out of formation and drifted southwards of course.

Eight crew members survived and were taken prisoner, two men were killed.

According to a surviving crew member Lt Richard was the last man to leave the plane and it was certain his parachute did not have time to open because the low altitude of the plane. He was seen dead on the ground.

1st Lt Richard is remembered at the Old Crystal Springs Cemetery in Crystal Springs, Copiah County, Mississippi.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, www.abmc.gov, www.findagrave.com - Joseph Middlebrooks, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil / 1940 Census, www.fold3.com, Arie-Jan van Hees, Pilot Class Book PCB 32-D&E

Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Joseph Middlebrooks