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Personal info

Full name
HURLBURT, Richard Coleman
Date of birth
6 June 1921
Age
23
Place of birth
Maplewood, Essex County, New Jersey
Hometown
Essex County, New Jersey

Military service

Service number
32245254
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Gunner
Unit
409th Bombardment Squadron,
93rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Distinguished Flying Cross,
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
4 November 1944
Place of death
In the flat parts of the North Sea
Voslapp, 7 km north of Wilhelmshafen, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
John L. Hurlburt (father)
Harriet W. (Copeman) Hurlburt (mother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-109815
Data
Type: B-24J
Destination: Misburg, Germany
Mission: Operational Bombing
MACR: 10359

More information

S/Sgt Richard C. Hurlburt enlisted at Fort Dix, New Jersey on 4 March 1942.

He entered the U.S. Army as a Private. He attended 4 years of high school and worked as a general industry clerk. He was single, without dependents.

This was his 16th mission. 1st on July 6, 1943 near Messina, Italy. First seven in Italy. Then Ploesti Oil Field in Romania on August 1, 1943. Three more in Italy, one in France, two in Austria and three over Germany. There is no eyewitness available who saw the aircraft leave the formation. No one will specifically claim seeing the aircraft over the target, but those crews in the same squadron "believe" he was in formation at "bombs away" position - at least they didn't notice any vacancy. During release and after rally, nothing was seen of the aircraft, nor was there any radio communication with it.

Four crewmembers were found dead, the others drowned and are Missing in Action. Only the gunner S/Sgt Lloyd O. Calcut survived the crash and was captured by the enemy.

Source of information: Jac Engels, Astrid van Erp, www.abmc.gov, www.archives.gov, www.findagrave.com, Footnote

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Bob Halsey (uncle) via Peter and Marga Deen