Captain George Edward Richards was the only child of Mr. and Mrs. George C. Richards of Forest Hills, New York. In May 1942, he was one of the first pilots in the newly formed 83rd Pursuit Squadron of the 78th Pursuit Group flying the Lockheed P-38 Lightning and stationed at San Francisco Municipal Airport living in the hangars. He sailed for England on the H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth landing at Glasgow Nov. 30, 1942. He arrived at Goxhill, England, on Dec. 1, 1942, where he was attached to the 83rd Fighter Squadron of the 78th Fighter Group. He was at Langford Lodge, Belfast, N.I., Jan. 26 - Feb. 10, 1943. On several days in March, 1943, he ferried P-38s from Portreath, England, to Casablanca, North Africa. On May 23, 1943, he was assigned to the 48th Fighter Squadron of the 14th Fighter Group stationed at Talergma, Tunisia. On Oct. 3, 1943, he flew escort for Field Marshall Jan Smuts of South Africa. He made several trips to Foggia, Italy, in Oct. 1943, and was stationed there in Dec. 1943. On Jan. 10, 1944, while flying fighter escort for a bombing raid over Sofia, Bulgaria, his squadron engaged in a large dog fight with German aircraft. George's P-38G-15-LO (#43-2458) suffered battle damage and his parachute was observed upon bailout. We was reported Missing In Action (MACR# 1816). On Sep. 28, 1945, Captain George E. Richards was officially pronounced dead by Headquarters of the U.S. Army Air Forces. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with 7 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Purple Heart.