Richard C. Arnds, aged 20, was born on March 13, 1924 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California. He resided in Bernalillo County, New Mexico prior to the war. On all census records his name is shown as "C. Richard Arnds". Richard served as a Sergeant and Senior Gunner on B-29 #42-6230, 792nd Bomber Squadron, 468th Bomber Group, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

B-29 #42-6230 took off from Pengshan, China on a bombing mission over Japan. They were shot down over Wakamatsu Fukuoka, Japan by a Japanese fighter plane. This aircraft and crew had the distinction of being the first B-29 shot down over Japan. All eleven crew members were Killed in Action on this mission along with one civilian.

He is now buried in a common grave in the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Lemay, St. Louis County, Missouri, USA. His name is inscribed on a group headstone with the others. Richard was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com