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name
KAUSCH, Richard C - Date of
birth
24 May 1923 -
Age
20 - Place of
birth
Watertown, Codington County, South Dakota -
Hometown
Watertown, Codington County, South Dakota
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
17154127 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Radio Operator/Gunner -
Unit
527th Bombardment Squadron,
379th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
30 January 1944 - Place of
death
Schoorl, the Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 4 | 19 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Ernest F.Kausch (father)
Emma Kautsch (mother)
Ernest F. Kautsch (brother)
Louise E. Kautsch (sister)
William F. Kautsch (brother)
Delores E. Kausch (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-31643 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Brunswick, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the aviation industry plants
MACR: 2877
More information
S/Sgt Richard Kausch graduated from Watertown High School and worked on the construction of the Watertown Air Base.He volunteered for the Air Corps of the U.S. Army at Fort Snelling, Minnesota on 24 October 1942. He was sent overseas on 26 October 1943.
The mission was to bomb the aviation industry plants of Brunswick. Due to cloud cover the city was bombed as a target of opportunity. On the way back to England, the bombers were attacked by German fighters who were sent up to intercept them. The plane crashed north of Bergen aan Zee, near Schoorl, on the Dutch coast near the Pirolavlakte.
The entire crew was killed in the crash. Their remains were initially buried at the community cemetery of Bergen aan Zee on 2 February 1944.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil
Photo source: Antoine Nouens, Peter Schouteten