Richard Kenneth Rasdall Sr. was born on August 30, 1924, in Atchison County, Kansas. He was the son of Gerald Fordsman Rasdall and Julia Frances Rolston Rasdall. He was the husband of Cyrena Evelyn Berry Rasdall.

Richard enlisted in the Army Air Corp in Ft Leavenworth, KS. He was residing in Wyandotte Co, KS at the time of his enlistment. He served in the 407th Bomber Squadron, 92nd Bomb Group, as a Sergeant and Ball Turret Gunner on the B-17 Fortress #42-29967 "Ruthie" during World War II.

On July 4, 1943, his crew took off from Station 109 in Podington, England, to bomb the Château-Bougon airfield and SNCASO factories. Hit by flak and shot down by fighters at around 12:30 PM, their airplane crashed 1 km from La Guérinière beach. All members survived the crash, but all of them were captured. Sgt Rasdall was sent to Stalag Luft 17B near Krems, Austria.

Richard died on July 26, 2003, at the age of 78, in Valle Falls, KS. He is now buried in the Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, Kansas City, Wyandotte County, Kansas, USA.

Source of information: francecrashes39-45.net, www.findagrave.com