Richard Olaf Fagstad was born in 1924 in Multnomah County, Oregon. His record also states that he had completed 4 years of high school (Washington High School,) and was employed as an electrician. He was single, with no dependents, and he enlisted for the Air Corps on November 2, 1942, in Portland, Oregon.

He received training as an aerial gunner and then was assigned to a replacement crew in England. There, he was assigned to the 561st Bomb Squadron of the 388th Bomb Group, located at Knettishall. His first combat mission was flown on March 26, 1944, and then he flew 2 more before April 9, 1944.

On April 9, 1944, the 388th Bomb Group was tasked to participate in a bombing raid on the aircraft factory at Kreznik and the aircraft parts factory in Pozan, Poland. The mission report by the 388th Bomb Group is noteworthy in the lack of details. Basically, it states that 35 aircraft were launched, 10 aborted, and 3 were lost. It further states no enemy fighters were encountered, but that flak was intense and accurate at both targets. Also in the report is the puzzling reference to 17 aircraft which turned back because they could not find the assembly point due to bad weather. In addition to bad mathematics, there is no indication in this report as to the aircraft loss by crew name, as was usual.

Details of the crash are not known, however, evidently all the crew bailed out before the aircraft crashed near Berkel, Holland. One account states all crew was taken prisoner except Fagstad who was killed by a rifle shot to the chest, and Vesta and Sommer who evaded until April 22 when they were also captured.

Sgt Fagstad is now buried in the Luxembourg American Cemetery, Luxembourg. He was one of the many brave Americans of the 388th Bomber Group who lost their lives in aerial operations against the German forces from June 1943 - August 1945.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov, airforce.togetherweserved.com