Richard William Weaver

Military
Personnel of the 389th Bomb Group stand atop the engine of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-40787) nicknamed "Vagabond King".  Sitting (left to right): Staff Sergeant David C Shattles, Staff Sergeant Louis H Raines, Corporal Alfred P Rossi. Standing (left to right)Second Lieutenant Masco, First Lieutenant Marvin Mendlesohn, First Lieutenant George A Brinton, Captain John B. McCormick, Staff Sergeant William J Budai, Staff Sergeant Richard W Weaver

'They have bombed ten different countries. Associated media-379085.jpg FRE 650 Personnel of the 389th Bomb Group stand atop the engine of a B-24D Liberator, serial number 42-40787, named, Vagabond King. Sitting ( left to right ) : Staff Sergeant David C. Shattles, Staff Sergeant Louis H. Raines, Corporal Alfred P. Rossi. Standing (left to right) : Second Lieutenant Masco, First Lieutenant Marvin Mendlesohn, First Lieutenant George A Brinton, Captain John B. McCormick, Staff Sergeant William J. Budai, Staff Sergeant Richard W. Weaver

"They have bombed ten different countries." Associated Press photo shows : "The crew of the Flying Fortress, Vagabond King, which has flown over 250,000 miles in combat and bombed targets in ten different countries, including the airfields at Ploesti, Romania. They are (left to right, sitting) : SSgt. David C. Shattles, of Atlanta, GA. Gunner - SSgt. Louis H. Raines, of Chesson, ALA, Gunner - Cpl. Alfred P. Rossi, of Philadelphia, PA, Gunner - (standing) : 2nd Lt. Masco, of Chicago, ILL, Bombardier - 1st Lt. Marvin Mendlesohn, of Rockaway, N.Y. Navigator - 1st Lt. George A. Brinton, of Salt Lake City, Utah, Co-Pilot - Capt. John B. McCormick, of Syracuse, N.Y. Pilot - SSgt. William J. Budai of Toledo, Ohio - and SSgt. Richard W. Weaver, of Scottdale, PENN." Roger Freeman Collection

Punctuation. - Kickapoo

Object Number - FRE 650 - Personnel of the 389th Bomb Group stand atop the engine of a B-24D Liberator, serial number 42-40787, named, Vagabond King. Sitting ( left to right...

Assigned to 565BS, 389BG, 8AF USAAF. Killed in Action (KIA) 1-Dec-43 on mission to Solingen, B-24 42-40793 'Blonds Away' was damaged by fighters and exploded while trying to land. MACR 3983



Awards: PH.

Connections

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

Units served with

The insignia of the 389th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 565th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-728833
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Blonds Away
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 565th Bomb Squadron 567th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Scottdale, PA 26 October 1920 Son of Marquis O and Maude Amanda [King] Weaver

Enlisted

Greensburg, PA 31 July 1942 Greensburg, Pennsylvania

Died

Manston, Ramsgate, Kent CT12, UK 1 December 1943 Target - Solingen, Germany, 1-Dec-43, Manston, England Crash landed at emergency field due to battle damage. KIA. MACR 3983.

Buried

Wesley Chapel Methodist Cemetery Scottdale, Westmoreland County, PA 22 July 1948 Re-Interred Wesley Chapel Methodist Cemetery Scottdale, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

Based

1 December 1943 Assigned to 565BS, 389BG, 8AF USAAF.

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "-" to the A/C type in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

AAM Database.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Losses of 8th & 9th AFs Vol I by Bishop & Hey pp. 406

Richard William Weaver: Gallery (1 items)