P51 - Crashed near Werkendam



The story of his crash in the Netherlands so the reader of the museum can fill in the info in the right info boxes. I already uploded a Photo of Richard L. Lapham. By the way their are two Richard L. Laphams in your files handeling info about the same pilot.



Mustang crashed in the river Maas near the Poederoijense Hoek, Gelderland (Gld) province, the Netherlands.



Afternoon 20 November 1944, at approximately 1.30 pm, an allied fighter plane crashed in the corner between the “Sluisdijk” and the “Munnikenland” near the corn silos on the “Poederoijense Hoek”. On March 19, 1946, the then town clerk of Brakel, J. van Dalen, stated the following:

On 20 November 1944 at around 1:00 PM, an allied aircraft, presumably a fighter, flew south over Brakel (Gld). The aircraft was apparently hit by the German anti-aircraft defense stationed near Brakel, as it was rapidly losing altitude. After it disappeared behind the houses, I heard a bang giving the impression that the plane had crashed. This was later proven to be correct, as the plane had crashed in the municipality of Brakel (Gld), killing the pilot. I have never received official information regarding the identity of the pilot, nor is it in the archives of the cemetery or town hall. The funeral was provided by the German Abwehr (regular army soldiers), who were stationed in the area, with the help of two Dutchmen, named: van Heusden, living on the Meidijk in Zuilichem (Gld), and Johan van Dalen, living in Brakel (Gld). This took place the next day, November 21, 1944. ”

Its concerning the American first lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Forces, Richard L. Lapham of the 38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group, who crashed his Mustang P-51D 44-14586 named "Phyllis Jean". The pilot is removed from the aircraft and taken to the nearest “feldlazeret” (German militairy field hospital). It’s unknown whether he was no longer alive at the time or whether he died later, it is certain that he was buried in Brakel (Gld). The funeral was provided by soldiers of the German Abwehr, with the help of the two Dutchmen. He was buried on November 21, 1944, the day after the crash. Later there was some doubt about the nationality of the pilot, in a letter dated 13 November 1945 to the Commissioner of the Military Authority in Arnhem, the mayor of Brakel, W.J. Pos, stated about the “Engelschman R.L. Lapham D.-823094, T43 ” (German identification record)



After escorting bombers on a flight to Siegburg, Lapham and his colleagues are on their way back allocating ground targets ending up near Werkendam (NB). There is a report (MACR No. 10331) by his superior, Captain Dorman L. Castle, detailing the final moments of Lapham's mission:

"I was leading Yellow section of “Program” squadron with Lt. Lapham as my element leader. We were flying on a course of between 330 and 350 degrees at approximately 500 to 1000 feet, flights in trail stacked down. We crossed a large river about 300 to 400 yards to the right of a four or five span bridge of which two spans were partly in the water.

(probably the Bridge over the river Waal near Zaltbommel Gld).

As we crossed to the north side of the river, light flak sprayed the area inside our squadron. I broke up and slightly to the left into the clouds at approximately 1,500 feet. As I broke I glanced down and saw a ship, probably Lapham's below me and heading in the same direction and it appeared to be heading down at a slight angle. I could not see anything wrong with it and was apparently under control. I then went into the clouds and did not see any other ships except my number two and four men who were still with me.

Richard L. Lapham enlisted in Florida under Army Number O-823094. On July 16, 1944 he was posted as 2 nd Lieutenant with the 496th Fighter Training Group, 555th Fighter Training Squadron in Goxhill, England. On August 2, 1944 he completes his training and a day later he is transferred to the 38th Fighter Squadron of the 55th Fighter Group in Wormingford. After several missions, he destroys a Me-109 in a dogfight near Erfurt, Germany. His promotion to 1st lieutenant follows on October 6, 1944.



Lapham died on his 36th mission. After first being specified as "Missing in Action", that was quickly changed into "Killed in Action". On March 27, 1947, he is exhumed again by the American Graves Service and transferred to the American military cemetery in Neuville-en-Condroz ”in Belgium where he is buried in section B row 43 grave 28.



He has been awarded an Air Medal with Three Oak Leaf Clusters, as well as a Purple Heart (posthumous).