RICHARD LEE MANN
The Citadel Class of: |
1944 |

|
Cadet Company: |
M (4), M (3) |
Age: |
22 |
Born: |
15-Dec-21 in Richmond, Virginia |
Hometown: |
Washington, Beaufort County, North Carolina |
Family: |
Mary Thomas Howard Mann Cherry (mother),
Lawrence Mann (brother), Robert Mann (brother) |
Rank: |
First Lieutenant |
Branch of Service: |
U.S. Army Air Forces |
Servicenumber: |
O-677820 |
Entered the Service from: |
North Carolina |
Function: |
Pilot |
Company – Squadron: |
568th Bomber Squadron |
Unit – Group: |
390th Bomber Group, Heavy |
Plane data: |
B-17G-15-DL 42-37890 BI-R
“Big Friend”/”Rovin’ Ramona II”
MACR 4169 |
(Serialnumber, MACR, etc.) |
Date of death: |
20-Apr-44 |
Status: |
KIA |
Place of death: |
Crashed near Valognes, France |
Spot: |
see “other information” |
Awards: |
Air Medal, Purple Heart |
Gravenumber: |
Plot F Row 10 Grave 36 |
Cemetery: |
Normandy American Cemetery |
Biography: |
not available |
Other information: |
Lieutenant Richard L. Mann Is Killed in Action
Mrs. Mary Thomas Cherry has received a telegram from the War Department that her son,
Lieutenant Richard L. Mann, has been killed in action over Europe.
– Source: Washington Daily News, Washington, North Carolina, June 8, 1944.
Crew Number: 11, Mission Number 89, Target La Glacerie FR
– Source: 390th Memorial Museum)
MACR 4169
On April 20, 1944 the bomber B-17G 42-37890 took off from FRAMLINGHAM (AAF station 153) with a crew of ten airmen.
They were part of the 568th Bomber squadron, 390th Bomber Group, 8th Air Force. Their plane had the names “Big Friend”
and “Rovin’ Ramona II” painted on its fuselage. Its identification letters were BI-R.
This plane and crew were part of a 174 bomber formation which, after flying over London, was heading to the French coast.
They were apparently targeting the flak positions in the Cherbourg area, especially the V1 and V2 launching sites.
It was 1847 and their flying altitude was 18,500 at coordinates 49 deg. 36 min. N – 01 deg. 33 min. W, when they got hit by
flak just after dropping their bombs near Cherbourg.
The plane peeled off to the right of the formation and went down in a spin with at least one engine and a wing on fire. It then
began to dive. Other crews in the formation reported that it exploded at that moment.
The people of Brix who saw the bomber falling asserted that the remains mostly scattered around the lake know as “Genetel”
but also around “la Mare de Brix” and “l’Ectot”.
Ten men were on board. Only one of them survived. Sergeant Jesse W. Roberts.
-Pilot 1st Lt. MANN Richard L.
-Co-pilot 2nd Lt. VAUGHAN John E.
-Nose Turret Gunner Pfc. KWOKA Valter J.
-Bombardier 2nd Lt. McKinnon Cameron
-Radio Operator Cpl. ANDERSON Bernard A.
-Top Turret Gunner T/Sgt ROBERTS Jesse W.
-Ball Turret Gunner S/Sgt ZUCCO Raymond
-Tail Gunner S/Sgt OVERSTREET Mark I.
-Right Waist Gunner S/Sgt HERMANAU Walter E.
-Left Waist Gunner T/Sgt WEDEMEYER Robert T.
Let us salute these brave Airmen’s heroism and all those who, like them, fought through the Northern Cotentin to defend
the land of France and Freedom.
Let their memory not sink into oblivion.
– Source: Sign on memorial marker placed in 2004 by the local community and located at the crossing of route D50
(route des Forges) and D119, Brix, Manche, France. Web page with photos. |
Sources: American Battle Monuments Commission, The Citadel Archive & Museum, Mike Stannard ’65, France-Crashes 39-45, MACR 4169, WWII draft card (NARA), Sphinx 1941 & 1942
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Richard Lee Mann is my uncle. Thank you so much for keeping his memory alive for future generations.
May 1, 2018 at 4:36 am