Richard Herbert Kaufman
MilitaryRichard Kaufman served as a pilot with the 401st Bomb Group out of Deenthorpe, England. He flew 31 missions from 12/01/1943, mission #2, to 07/08/1944, mission #106.
On 11 December 1943, he was flying B-17#42-31098 'Penny's Thunderhead' when it was hit by flak over the target and attacked by fighters.
Thinking it was 'game over', he order the crew to bail out. Four bailed out over Holland and three near the Frisian Isles.
In the end though, he and Bob Fitzgerald, the bombardier, were able to bring the aircraft back to England and landed it at RAF Lindholme.
Retired from the USAF in 1970 with the rank of Colonel
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32170030
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Penny's Thunderhead
- Unit: 401st Bomb Group 614th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Benefield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Other Returned to Duty (RTD) |
HMP Lindhome, Bawtry Road, Hatfield, Doncaster DN7 6EE, UK | 11 December 1943 | Then RAF Lindholme |
|
Died |
22 December 2006 | ||
|
Born |
Antigo, Wisconsin | ||
|
Other Retired |
Revisions
NARA enlistment record: https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=19&cat=all&t…
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 8711,
Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. I, pp. 412-413, http://www.401bg.org/Main/History/Members/Details.aspx?ID=227