Richard Paul Leckliter was born on June 23, 1919 in Kansas. He was the son of Harry Reason Leckleiter and Elsie Wicker Leckliter. Richard served as a Sergeant and Radar Operator on B-29 "Stockett's Rocket" #42-6261, 45th Bomber Squadron, 40th Bomber Group, Very Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force that was lost during WW II.

B-29 Superfortress #42-6261 took off, with a crew of 11 and 1 passenger, from Chakulia, India on a bombing mission over a steel works in Yawata Kyushu, Japan. After taking off from India, and prior to actually going on the mission to Japan, they were scheduled to land in Hsing-Ching, China to refuel. They never reached the base in China. The entire crew was lost for an unknown reason. Richard was declared "Missing In Action" on this mission during the war. His name is commemorated on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines. Stockett's Rocket crew is also honored of on a memorial plaque at B-29 DOC hanger plaza, Eisenhower National Airport, Wichita, KS. He also has a cenotaph located in Elk Falls Cemetery, Elk Falls, Elk County, Kansas.

Richard was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is also 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, www.abmc.gov