Russell Owen Dick was born on November 6, 1924, in Crescent, Logan County, Oklahoma. He was the son of Henry Isaac Dick and Mary Elizabeth Merritt Dick. He was married to Lois M. Dick. He served in the 601st Bomber Squadron, 398th Bomb Group, Heavy, as a Sergeant and Waist Gunner in B-17G #43-37889 nicknamed ''Black Widow” during World War II.

On January 20, 1945, the B-17G “Black Widow” departed Nuthampstead, England, for a mission into the Rhine valley. The day’s target was the bridge between Mannheim and Ludwigshafen, an important industrial and transportation link across the Rhine. The aircraft was hit by heavy flak before reaching the target, but remained steady long enough to release its bombs. Afterward, the bomber caught fire, fell out of formation, and came under attack from a German fighter before crashing near Mechtersheim in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. Out of the nine crew members, two were killed in action, while the other seven parachuted to safety but were captured and spent the rest of the war as prisoners.

Sgt Dick was captured and imprisoned in Germany. He died on March 28, 1977, and is now buried in the Waukomis Cemetery, Waukomis, Garfield County, Oklahoma, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.ig-heimatforschung.de