George William Riches
Military ROLL OF HONOURBack, left-to-right: William Boomhower, Bombardier; Donald Irwin, Navigator; Richard McCray, Co-Pilot; George Riches, Pilot; Bernard Anderson, Engineer. Front, left-to-right: Ralph Lavoie, Ball Turret; Freeman Penney, Radio; Stan Martin, Tail Gunner; Guy Smith, Right Waist; William Waller, Left Waist.
Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, Special Orders #70 dated 11 March 1943, effective 11 March 1943. Shot down 25 June 1943 in B-17 #4230143 'Yankee Powerhouse. ' Killed in Action (KIA). Awarded the Silver Star posthumously 'for gallantry in action' during a mission over Germany on 25 June 1943.
Connections
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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: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 545th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 16059532 / O-731364
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 11098344
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
Aircraft
Missions
- Date: 25 June 1943
- Date: 22 June 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Grafton Undermud
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Died Killed in Action (KIA) |
Oldenburg, Germany | 25 June 1943 | Damaged by flak, crashed near Oldenburg, Germany. MACR 16378. |
Buried Or Memorial |
West Belmore Cemetery, Belmore, Ohio | West Belmore Cemetery, Belmore, Ohio |
Revisions
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 16378 / MACR 16378, http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/PersonnelSearch.php?LastName=… / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database