Richard H Cole
Military
Object Number - UPL 26666 - Lead crew of bombing mission to Lutzkendorf, Germany, pose in front of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress 44-8137. 359th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group,...
Assigned to 359BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. 44 x missions.
Lt. Col. Cole was assigned to the 303rd in the fall of 1943. At that time he held the rank of
Major, having been previously a Group Operations Officer with an anti-submarine command group stationed in Newfoundland.
Col. Cole was well qualified to take over the squadron and lost no time in getting into the swing of things. He is a fighting commander and has led his squadron on some of the most
outstanding of the 303rd's missions. He is well into his second operational tour and will continue until the war in this theater is concluded.
Col. Cole graduated from Rutgers University in 1938. He entered the Air Corps as a cadet and was commissioned a 2nd Lt. in May, 1940.
Awards: DFC (OLC), AM (OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.
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: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36597852
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-407138
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-717650
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O207003
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13065716 / O-814319
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The 8 Ball Mk II
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Ole george
- Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 327th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Scorchy II
- Unit: 1st Air Division 41st Combat Bomb Wing 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 7 April 1945
- Date: 29 January 1945
- Date: 29 July 1944
- Date: 21 July 1944
- Date: 8 July 1944
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
New Jersey | 30 May 1916 | |
|
Enlisted |
10 May 1939 | ||
|
Other Discharged USAF |
1 May 1962 | ||
|
Died |
31 January 1982 | ||
|
Based |
Molesworth | 11 April 1945 | Assigned to 359BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. |
Revisions
Information taken from the 303rd Bomb Group Unit History.
https://www.fold3.com/image/161280289/?terms=44-8137
http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/209.pdf
http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/195.pdf
http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/199.pdf
http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/354.pdf
http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/309.pdf
http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/214.pdf
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Roster
