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Submit- Full
name
O'BRIEN, Richard Desmond - Date of
birth
10 July 1920 -
Age
24 - Place of
birth
Bayonne, Hudson County, New Jersey -
Hometown
Irvington, Essex County, New Jersey
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
32466839 -
Rank
Technical Sergeant -
Function
Top Turret Gunner -
Unit
422nd Bombardment Squadron,
305th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
16 August 1944 - Place of
death
Jena, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 20 | 18 |
Immediate family
-
Members
James O'Brien (father)
Catherine O'Brien (mother)
John O'Brien (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
44-6304 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Bohlen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the oil industry
MACR: 8436
More information
T/Sgt Richard D. O'Brien attended high school for two years and worked as a foreman.He enlisted in Newark, New Jersey on 4 September 1942.
According to a witness statement of the pilot, 1st Lt Darrell V. Betz, who was the only survivor, a burst of flak tore off the right wing at the number four engine and the airplane broke in half at the ball turret. The controls were completely shot away and it was impossible to control the aircraft. It went into a spin and only Lt Betz was able to bail out. The other eight crew members were killed.
They were initially buried at the cemetery of Vollradisroda on 18 August 1944.
Source of information: Jac Engels, Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.archives.gov, www.abmc.gov, Nora O'Brien Harmon, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.findagrave.com, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census, www.fold3.com - MACR 8436, www.armyairforces.com, WWII Draft Card
Photo source: Jac Engels