Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
PARSONS, Richard Herbert - Date of
birth
27 December 1919 -
Age
24 -
Place of birth
Geauga Country, Ohio -
Hometown
Chardon, Geauga Country, Ohio -
Ethnicity
White
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-714742 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Co-Pilot -
Unit
748th Bombardment Squadron,
457th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
24 August 1944 - Place of
death
North Sea, off the coast of the islands of Pellworm en Amrum, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Roy D. Parsons (father)
Gertrude R. (McNish) Parsons (mother)
Bernard J. Parsons (brother)
Jay D. Parsons (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-97558 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Tis me Sugar
Destination: Weimar, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the airfield
MACR: 8200
More information
2nd Lt Richard H. Parsons was a chemist.He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio, on 25 August 1942.
One report says that there were no fighters or flak and the plane simply left the formation and was not seen again.
Another report stated that it was hit by a lone fighter plane, lost two engines, went into a spin and later exploded at a lower altitude.
It is not entirely clear where the aircraft must have crashed, probably in the North Sea, near the islands of Pellworm or Amrum. This is based on the fact that the remains of one crew member, Robert P. Stewart, were found on the island of Pellworm, and that the remains of Paul J. Terjak washed ashore on the west coast of Amrum on 9 September 1944, where he was buried in the Neuer Friedhof that same day.
One of the photos shows the three Parsons brothers together: (l-r) Bernard, Jay, and Richard.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Herman Wolters, www.fold3.com - MACR
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Miranda Sijbers, Michel Beckers/Jane Young, Arie-Jan van Hees, Pilot Class Book 44-C, Bruce Field, Ballinger, Texas/Lubbock, Texas/Goodfellow Field, Texas, Homepage - The 457th Bomb Group (H) Association (457thbombgroupassoc.org).