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Submit- Full
name
PROUDFIT, Richard D - Date of
birth
17 February 1920 -
Age
25 - Place of
birth
Grenada, Grenada County, Mississippi -
Hometown
Grenada County, Tennessee
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
14166848 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Bombardier -
Unit
322nd Bombardment Squadron,
91st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
8 April 1945 - Place of
death
Stendahl, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| M | 1 | 17 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Eugene R. Proudfit (father)
Cora D. Proudfit (mother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-31333 -
Data
Nickname: Wee Willie
Type: B-17G
Destination: Stendahl, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 13881
More information
S/Sgt Richard D. Proudfit attended collage and was a draftsman.He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Memphis, Tennessee on 29 September 1942.
Statement from S/Sgt George Little, crew member of another B-17 in the same group:
"We were flying over the target at 20,500 feet altitude when I observed aircraft B-17G, 42-31333 to receive a direct flak hit approximately between the bomb-bay and the No. 2 engine. The aircraft immediately started into a vertical dive. The aircraft fuselage was on fire and when it had dropped approximately 5,000 feet the left wing fell off. It continued down when the fuselage was about 3,000 feet from the ground it exploded, and then exploded again when it hit the ground. I saw no crew members leave the aircraft or parachutes open."
All nine crew members were killed.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Marco Olbertijn