Richard Alexander Stearns Jr

Military
media-32111.jpeg UPL 32111 Lt Richard A Stearns Jr [Augusta, GA] 350FS, 353FG, 8AF. Officially credited with 3.5 confirmed aerial victories. Shot down on 9-Apr-44 and became a POW for the duration.

Object Number - UPL 32111 - Lt Richard A Stearns Jr [Augusta, GA] 350FS, 353FG, 8AF. Officially credited with 3.5 confirmed aerial victories. Shot down on 9-Apr-44 and became a...

Assigned to 350FS, 353FG, 8AF USAAF. Flew more than 50 missions from 3 Oct 1943 to 9 Apr 1944. 3.5 x Victories. Crashed near Sehestedt on 9-Apr-44 in P-47 42-8499 'Georgia Peach'. Prisoner of War (POW)



Awards: DFC (2OLC), AM (6OLC), POW, WWII Victory, EAME (2 x Battle Stars).



Connections

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Units served with

People

A P-47 Thunderbolt (LH-T, serial number 42-74665) nicknamed "Fatty Patty II" of the 353rd Fighter Group flown by Captain Charles W Dinse shoots down a BF 110 during a mission. Gun camera image. Printed caption on reverse: '50416 AC - Discovering an Me 110 below him, Capt. Charles W. Dinsa, 304 Touhy Ave., Park Ridge, Ill., dove down and destroyed it. The pictures were taken by his automatic camera as his bullets found their mark. Credit for the kill was shared with Lt. Richard A. Stearns, Jr., 102 Forest
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 350th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-665391
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
  • Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 350th Fighter Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Lillian Delivery Boy The Millie G
  • Unit: 352nd Fighter Group 55th Fighter Group 343rd Fighter Squadron 486th Fighter Squadron

Places

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
Prisoners of war, including Colonel Hubert Zemke of the 479th Fighter Group at Stalag Luft I.
  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft I, Barth, Germany

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Augusta, GA, USA 14 June 1922 Son of Richard A. Stearns Sr.

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Barth, Germany 9 April 1944 Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft I.

Died

22 April 2011

Buried

Saint Peters Memorial Gardens Beaufort, Beaufort County, SC 25 April 2011 Saint Peters Memorial Gardens Beaufort, Beaufort County, South Carolina

Based

Raydon 9 April 1944 Assigned to 350FS, 353FG, 8AF USAAF.

Revisions

Date
ContributorHelen
Changes
Sources

Jonah's Feet are Dry

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Mighty Eighth Air Force Heritage Museum Membership List, July 2000 MACR 3624 / Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list

Richard Alexander Stearns: Gallery (4 items)