Smith Richard B.

Name:

Richard B. Smith

Rank:

Staff Sergeant

Serial Number:

Unit:

755th Bomber Squadron, 458th Bomber Group

Date of Death:

1945-01-16

State:

Alabama

Cemetery:

Marietta National Cemetery, Marietta, Cobb County, Georgia, USA

Plot:

Section E

Row:

Grave:

6331-A

Decoration:

Comments:

Richard B. Smith was born on February 14, 1921. He served in the 755th Bomber Squadron, 458th Bomb Group, as a Staff Sergeant and Tail Gunner on the B-24 #42-50954 during World War II.

On January 16, 1945, at 08:03h, his crew took off from Horsham St. Field to bomb the steel works Krupp in Magdeburg, France. When they reached the area, their plane was hit between engines 3 and 4 by a flak battery of 6-inch shells. The pilot tried to rejoin his lines, but, running out of fuel, gave the order to evacuate over Fontenailles (N of Andryes). All members were able to evacuate, but SSgt Smith's parachute did not open, causing his death. His body was first buried in the Dijols cemetery before being transferred.

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