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USAAF 5th AF 475th FG 432nd FS ![]() 475th FG c1943 |
Pilot 2nd Lt Richard S. Ryrholm, Jr., O-743510 (MA / KIA) Arlington, MA Crashed September 4, 1943 at 10:00 MACR 965 Pilot History Richard Ryrholm (pronounced Ryer-home) was a Swedish American. He was born in Arlington, MA and had a twin brother, Robert. He attended Arlington High School and was elected class president. He was assigned to the 475th Fighter Group, 432nd Fighter Squadron. When he failed to return from the September 4, 1943 mission he earned the Purple Heart, posthumously. His siblings also served in the war. Older brother Arthur served in the Pacific (wounded twice), twin brother Robert as a pilot training B-29 crews and his sister Eleanor in the Coast Guard. Richard enlisted in the U.S. Army after Pearl Harbor and attended flight school. Aircraft History Built by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation (LAC) in Burbank. Delivered to the U.S. Army. Disassembled and shipped overseas and reassembled. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 475th Fighter Group (475th FG) "Satan's Angles", 432nd Fighter Squadron (432nd FS) "Clover". This P-38 was painted with olive drab upper surfaces and gray lower surfaces. Assigned to pilot Elliot E Summer with crew chief S/Sgt Carl E. Plecker. Squadron Number 143 (White 143). Nicknamed "Blood & Guts II" painted in red outlined in white. Below the left side of the cockpit was a scoreboard with six aerial victory claims (2x3) on a yellow background with a red rectangle in the seventh space. The propeller spinners had a yellow band. The tail had squadron number 143 (White 143) with a yellow upper tip. When lost, engines: Allison V-1710-89 serial number 42-29976 and V-1710-91 serial number 142-93931. Weapon serial numbers not listed in Missing Air Crew Report 965 (MACR 965). Mission History On September 4, 1943 took off from North Borio Airfield (Dobodura Airfield No. 15) on a patrol over the Bena Bena to Saidor area. Ryrholm was part of Green Flight flying in the No. 2 position. Weather was reported as 5/10 cloud cover at 1,000' and good visibility. Near Lae Airfield, the formation observed an enemy reconnaissance plane near the formation released their drop tanks. Flying above, F/O Henry Condon saw many flying pieces in the air and believed it was quite possible that one of the drop tanks hit his plane, damaging it. Ryrholm's plane was last seen flying on one engine, losing altitude and the other engine emitting a slight amount of smoke. When this aircraft failed to return it was officially declared Missing In Action (MIA). Search An area search was conducted for two days following the loss by P-38 under the direction of Captain Daniel T. Roberts the operations officer of the 432nd Fighter Squadron. Nothing was observed. Wreckage This P-38 crashed in the vicinity of Sambiang, to the east of Lae. During 2005, reported by villager Patrick Aronzen of Samblang village to a JPAC team working at a nearby crash site. Brian Bennett adds: "I was on the IE for this aircraft and it was identified from an engine number as far as i can remember. Possibly from a stencil as well later on, don't know. I remember that it was a very hot and stinking humid day when we went to the crash site. It was found and reported by a nice local bloke from Sambiang village." Recovery of Remains This crash site was designated "CIL 2010-023" and "05-2PP". On January 14, 2010 a team from JPAC Recovery Team 2 conducted a forty day investigation at the crash site that concluded on February 22, 2010. During the investigation, human remains and personal effects were found including a gold ring with the initials "R. R." in the inside band (Richard Ryrholm), a U.S. Army wrist watch, the hands were missing but shading on the dial indicated it froze at 10:00am and on the back engraved "Richard S. Ryrholm, Jr.". Also a pocket knife was found. The remains and personal effects were transported to the JPAC laboratory and accessioned on March 2, 2010. A bag roughly 16" x 14" of recovered remains, some broken by the impact and others charred from fire were positively identified using dental records and circumstantial evidence from the crash and personal effects, mDNA testing was not required. On September 20, 2010, the Department of Defense (DoD) reported Ryrholm was identified. Ryrholm's last living sibling past away before the U.S. Army contacted the family. Nephew Jan Harper was contacted by the US military during October 2010. During January 2011, he visited the JPAC in Hawaii to accept the remains, and per the family's wishes had them cremated for burial in his hometown with his parents. Memorial Relatives References Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated May 15, 2025
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