Richard Bruce Crater was born on January 14, 1923, in Los Angeles County, California. He was the son of Frank Milton Crater and Viola Beatrice Zediker Downs.

Richard served 512th Fighter Squadron, 406th Fighter Group, as a Second Lieutenant and Pilot on the P-47 #42-75150 "Nursie" during World War II. On September 11, 1944, he took off from A-36 airfield in St-Léonard, France, on an armed reconnaissance mission to Mulhausen. At 17h00, his aircraft crashed during a truck strafing pass (possibly due to flak) and exploded and burned. 2Lt Crater was killed in this incident.

Report by Robert M Draney (p5 of MACR)
"I was flying Red three with Lt Crater as my wingman, Red four. We made a strafing pass on a truck and staff car. After pulling off of the target I turned and saw Lt Crater make his pass and start to pull off. Flak (light) started bursting around my plane so I called 'Flak', on the R/T and took evasive action. After getting out of the area I pulled up and started joining my flight which was led by Lt Douglas. At the time I noticed a column of black smoke rising from a position which I estimated to be about one and a half to two miles from the target. I then began to look for my wingman when Red Leader called me ?? asked me where Red four was. Red four did not answer to the check. The column of smoke was unmistakeably caused by an aircraft. Lt Crater want down on a straffing pass on a truck and staff car, flying Red four."

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