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name
RICHARD, Armand R - Date of
birth
1923 -
Age
unknown - Place of
birth
Rhode Island -
Hometown
Providence County, Rhode Island
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
11096678 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Ball Turret Gunner -
Unit
535th Bombardment Squadron,
381st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
5 November 1943 - Place of
death
Hollandsch Diep near the village Klundert, The Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Lillian (Gellerman) Richard (mother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-30852 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Hot Toddy aka Blowin' Bessie
Destination: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the synthetic oil refinery
MACR: 1399
More information
Sgt Armand R. Richard attended high school for three years and was a salesman.He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in Providence, Rhode Island on 5 September 1942.
The airplane was hit by flak over the target, knocking out #2 engine. Oil vapor came out the #2 nacelle and the propeller was windmilling. also #1 engine was hit and was feathered. It kept up with the formation for about ten minutes and then dropped out and was observed to be losing altitude. Later the plane was attacked by German fighters, hitting it near the cockpit.
Some of the crew members jumped out before the plane hit the water of the Hollandsch Diep near the village named Klundert.
In total seven crew members were killed from which six were never recovered. Three crew members survived and were taken prisoner.
The wreck of the plane was recovered in October 1969.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, www.fold3.com - MACR
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Chris van der Linden