Richard Murdoch

Military

Assigned to 413BS, 96BG, 8AF USAAF. Crash landed in a field near East Shropham due to the props on two engines running away, on form-up for a mission to Frankfurt on 4-Feb-44 in B-17 42-30188 'Temptation'. Then assigned to 'Goering's Nightmare'.



On 24-Apr-44 on mission to Friedrichshafen, Germany in B-17 42-97620, A/C was damaged over target and aircraft started return flight. Had to be abandoned near Ulmet. Crew bailed out and A/C crashed near Reichsthal. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 4164



Awards: AM (2OLC), POW, WWII Victory, EAME, PH.



Post war: Observer aboard USAF KB-29M Superfortress 44-87782; experienced engine failures on take-off, attempted abort, A/C crashed. Killed in Service (KIS).

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

The insignia of the 96th Bomb Group.

96th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Joseph Forman Meacham

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 413th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32026680 / O-742758
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

42-30188

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Cat’s Sass Temptation
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 413th Bomb Squadron

42-97620

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 413th Bomb Squadron

Places

Dulag Luft 12

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12

Stalag Luft III

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Belfast, Ireland 20 October 1919

Enlisted

Fort Dix, NJ 22 January 1942 Fort Dix, New Jersey

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Zagan, Poland 24 April 1944 Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft III.

Other

Discharged USAAF

22 February 1946

Enlisted

19 June 1951

Died

Pima County, AZ 26 March 1952 Observer aboard USAF KB-29M Superfortress 44-87782; experienced engine failures on take-off, attempted abort, A/C crashed. Killed in Service (KIS)

Buried

Inglewood Park Cemetery Inglewood, Los Angeles County, CA 29 March 1952 Inglewood Park Cemetery Inglewood, Los Angeles County, California

Based

24 April 1944 Assigned to 413BS, 96BG, 8AF USAAF.

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

https://www.fold3.com/image/674381714
https://catalog.archives.gov/id/143769405
https://www.fold3.com/image/319301151
https://www.fold3.com/record/86071895/richard-murdoch-wwii-army-enlistm…
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/104323691/richard-murdoch

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

https://www.fold3.com/image/674381714
https://catalog.archives.gov/id/143769405
https://www.fold3.com/image/319301151
https://www.fold3.com/record/86071895/richard-murdoch-wwii-army-enlistm…
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/104323691/richard-murdoch

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces, son; Snetterton Falcons, pg 132