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| USAAF 5th AF 35th FG 39th FS |
Pilot 1st Lt Billy Edwards Richards, O-686018 (MIA / KIA) Kansas City, MS MIA August 23, 1944 MACR none Aircraft History Built by Republic at the Indiana Division of Republic Aviation in Evansville, IN. Constructors Number 1799. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-47D-23-RA Thunderbolt serial number 42-27620. Disassembled and shipped overseas to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA) and reassembled. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 35th Fighter Group (35th FG), 39th Fighter Squadron (39th FS). No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On August 23, 1944 took off piloted by 1st Lt Billy E. Richards on a mission against Jefman Airfield (Efman) on Jefman Island (Efman). When this aircraft failed to return it was listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Memorials Richards was officially declared dead the day of the mission. He earned the Air Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously. He is memorialized at MAC on the tablets of the missing. Relatives David S. Elliott, CAPT, USN Retired (great nephew) References USAF Serial Number Search Results - P-47D-23-RA Thunderbolt 42-27620 American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - Billy E. Richards FindAGrave - 1Lt Billy Edwards Richards (photo) Thanks to David S. Elliott, CAPT, USN and Edward Rogers for additional information Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated March 21, 2021
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 P-47  MIA 1 Missing |
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