Richard B. Mathews (of Alameda, California) entered WWII while still a teenager! He was assigned to the 452nd 730th Bombardment Group at Deopham Green in England. After completing 34 dangerous missions, he was awarded a life-time membership in "The Lucky Bastard Club" (see photo) on March 1, 1945. Some of the planes he flew on were the E-rat-icator, Powerful Katrinka, Hairless Joe, Frivolous Sal, and Utah Gal. This completed his WWII tour of duty and he was only 20 years old at the time!



After the war, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force spending his basic training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio. During his military career, he served as an Electrical Engineer with Security Service at Furstenfeldbruck AFB (West Germany), Karamursel AF (Turkey,) Reese AFB (Lubbock, Texas), Fort Meade (Maryland), and Kelly AFB (San Antonio, Texas.) He retired as a Major from the Air Force in 1966 and went to work for Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas. At SwRI, he continued doing government projects as a Senior Research Engineer. He also became the head of his computer department at SwRI.



Major Mathews, USAF Retired, passed away on June 3, 1980 and was buried three days later on the 36th anniversary the of D-Day Allied Invasion of Normandy, June 6th. He now resides eternally at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas. Coincidentally, his old WWII Squadron C.O. of the 452nd Bombardment group, David A. Beardsley, is buried not too far away. He left behind a wife and three children who were all very proud of this good man and the positive examples his life left for future generations.