Richard P. Washburn was born October 16, 1923 in Gouverneur NY, son of Lawson G. and Viva Bacon Washburn.
When Richard was 8 years old in late December 1930, his brother Merton (aged 10) saved his life. The brothers, along with two friends were out getting Christmas trees. The Oswegatchie River was frozen and they decided to cross. Merton started and ran over the rubbery ice and got acrros, but Richard broke through when half way over. The brother's companions ran back to shore. Richard was able to cling to the ice, and Merton, seeing his brother's plight, cautiously went back and managed to get close enough to catch his brother's coat collar. He them dragged him onto the ice and then to the shore.
Only 18 months later, Richard, Merton and another brother, Robert, were injured at their home when an oil drum exploded. Richard received dangerous burns, and his brother Merton was burned and sufferred a head injury, while Robert was less severely injured. The boys stated they had been rolling the empty drum around and when they pulled out the plug the drum instantly exploded.
Later, Richard, Merton, Robert and another brother, Leonard all served in World War II.
Richard P. Washburn graduated from Gouverneur high school in January 1943, and in March, he became an aviation cadet, and then a flight officer from Jan 7, 1944 until June 5, 1944. He received his commission as second lieutenant June 6, 1944 at Langley Field, Va., where he was assigned June 1. The 1941 graduate of Gouverneur High School was sent in July 1944 to England, where he was co-pilot of a B-17 Flying Fortress with the 8th Air Force. After flying 27 successful missions, he was assigned a new crew for a flight Nov. 25, 1944. That was his last mission.
The War Department notified his family in December 1944 that he was missing, then gave the following report a year later while saying he had been declared dead.
"The fortress, `Patches,' was last sighted east of Frankfurt, Germany, and the bomber had radioed its home base in England that it expected to land near Brussels, Belgium. The government report states that on Nov. 25 this bomber was on a mission to Merseburg, Germany. After leaving the target area, the plane was shot down by anti-aircraft fire.
"One crew member was known to bail out. Another was thrown from the ship when an explosion ocurred in mid-air. The two known survivors landed in enemy territory and were captured. They reported that when last seen, Lt. Washburn and others were preparing to jump just prior to the explosion."
His body and those of three comrades were recovered and interred temporarily at Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium. His remains were returned to the US on May 12, 1950, and were interred at the Zachary Taylor Memorial cemetery in Louisville, Ky.
He had received the Air Medal and Oak Leaf Clusters.
When Richard was 8 years old in late December 1930, his brother Merton (aged 10) saved his life. The brothers, along with two friends were out getting Christmas trees. The Oswegatchie River was frozen and they decided to cross. Merton started and ran over the rubbery ice and got acrros, but Richard broke through when half way over. The brother's companions ran back to shore. Richard was able to cling to the ice, and Merton, seeing his brother's plight, cautiously went back and managed to get close enough to catch his brother's coat collar. He them dragged him onto the ice and then to the shore.
Only 18 months later, Richard, Merton and another brother, Robert, were injured at their home when an oil drum exploded. Richard received dangerous burns, and his brother Merton was burned and sufferred a head injury, while Robert was less severely injured. The boys stated they had been rolling the empty drum around and when they pulled out the plug the drum instantly exploded.
Later, Richard, Merton, Robert and another brother, Leonard all served in World War II.
Richard P. Washburn graduated from Gouverneur high school in January 1943, and in March, he became an aviation cadet, and then a flight officer from Jan 7, 1944 until June 5, 1944. He received his commission as second lieutenant June 6, 1944 at Langley Field, Va., where he was assigned June 1. The 1941 graduate of Gouverneur High School was sent in July 1944 to England, where he was co-pilot of a B-17 Flying Fortress with the 8th Air Force. After flying 27 successful missions, he was assigned a new crew for a flight Nov. 25, 1944. That was his last mission.
The War Department notified his family in December 1944 that he was missing, then gave the following report a year later while saying he had been declared dead.
"The fortress, `Patches,' was last sighted east of Frankfurt, Germany, and the bomber had radioed its home base in England that it expected to land near Brussels, Belgium. The government report states that on Nov. 25 this bomber was on a mission to Merseburg, Germany. After leaving the target area, the plane was shot down by anti-aircraft fire.
"One crew member was known to bail out. Another was thrown from the ship when an explosion ocurred in mid-air. The two known survivors landed in enemy territory and were captured. They reported that when last seen, Lt. Washburn and others were preparing to jump just prior to the explosion."
His body and those of three comrades were recovered and interred temporarily at Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium. His remains were returned to the US on May 12, 1950, and were interred at the Zachary Taylor Memorial cemetery in Louisville, Ky.
He had received the Air Medal and Oak Leaf Clusters.
Richard P. Washburn was born October 16, 1923 in Gouverneur NY, son of Lawson G. and Viva Bacon Washburn.
When Richard was 8 years old in late December 1930, his brother Merton (aged 10) saved his life. The brothers, along with two friends were out getting Christmas trees. The Oswegatchie River was frozen and they decided to cross. Merton started and ran over the rubbery ice and got acrros, but Richard broke through when half way over. The brother's companions ran back to shore. Richard was able to cling to the ice, and Merton, seeing his brother's plight, cautiously went back and managed to get close enough to catch his brother's coat collar. He them dragged him onto the ice and then to the shore.
Only 18 months later, Richard, Merton and another brother, Robert, were injured at their home when an oil drum exploded. Richard received dangerous burns, and his brother Merton was burned and sufferred a head injury, while Robert was less severely injured. The boys stated they had been rolling the empty drum around and when they pulled out the plug the drum instantly exploded.
Later, Richard, Merton, Robert and another brother, Leonard all served in World War II.
Richard P. Washburn graduated from Gouverneur high school in January 1943, and in March, he became an aviation cadet, and then a flight officer from Jan 7, 1944 until June 5, 1944. He received his commission as second lieutenant June 6, 1944 at Langley Field, Va., where he was assigned June 1. The 1941 graduate of Gouverneur High School was sent in July 1944 to England, where he was co-pilot of a B-17 Flying Fortress with the 8th Air Force. After flying 27 successful missions, he was assigned a new crew for a flight Nov. 25, 1944. That was his last mission.
The War Department notified his family in December 1944 that he was missing, then gave the following report a year later while saying he had been declared dead.
"The fortress, `Patches,' was last sighted east of Frankfurt, Germany, and the bomber had radioed its home base in England that it expected to land near Brussels, Belgium. The government report states that on Nov. 25 this bomber was on a mission to Merseburg, Germany. After leaving the target area, the plane was shot down by anti-aircraft fire.
"One crew member was known to bail out. Another was thrown from the ship when an explosion ocurred in mid-air. The two known survivors landed in enemy territory and were captured. They reported that when last seen, Lt. Washburn and others were preparing to jump just prior to the explosion."
His body and those of three comrades were recovered and interred temporarily at Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium. His remains were returned to the US on May 12, 1950, and were interred at the Zachary Taylor Memorial cemetery in Louisville, Ky.
He had received the Air Medal and Oak Leaf Clusters.
When Richard was 8 years old in late December 1930, his brother Merton (aged 10) saved his life. The brothers, along with two friends were out getting Christmas trees. The Oswegatchie River was frozen and they decided to cross. Merton started and ran over the rubbery ice and got acrros, but Richard broke through when half way over. The brother's companions ran back to shore. Richard was able to cling to the ice, and Merton, seeing his brother's plight, cautiously went back and managed to get close enough to catch his brother's coat collar. He them dragged him onto the ice and then to the shore.
Only 18 months later, Richard, Merton and another brother, Robert, were injured at their home when an oil drum exploded. Richard received dangerous burns, and his brother Merton was burned and sufferred a head injury, while Robert was less severely injured. The boys stated they had been rolling the empty drum around and when they pulled out the plug the drum instantly exploded.
Later, Richard, Merton, Robert and another brother, Leonard all served in World War II.
Richard P. Washburn graduated from Gouverneur high school in January 1943, and in March, he became an aviation cadet, and then a flight officer from Jan 7, 1944 until June 5, 1944. He received his commission as second lieutenant June 6, 1944 at Langley Field, Va., where he was assigned June 1. The 1941 graduate of Gouverneur High School was sent in July 1944 to England, where he was co-pilot of a B-17 Flying Fortress with the 8th Air Force. After flying 27 successful missions, he was assigned a new crew for a flight Nov. 25, 1944. That was his last mission.
The War Department notified his family in December 1944 that he was missing, then gave the following report a year later while saying he had been declared dead.
"The fortress, `Patches,' was last sighted east of Frankfurt, Germany, and the bomber had radioed its home base in England that it expected to land near Brussels, Belgium. The government report states that on Nov. 25 this bomber was on a mission to Merseburg, Germany. After leaving the target area, the plane was shot down by anti-aircraft fire.
"One crew member was known to bail out. Another was thrown from the ship when an explosion ocurred in mid-air. The two known survivors landed in enemy territory and were captured. They reported that when last seen, Lt. Washburn and others were preparing to jump just prior to the explosion."
His body and those of three comrades were recovered and interred temporarily at Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium. His remains were returned to the US on May 12, 1950, and were interred at the Zachary Taylor Memorial cemetery in Louisville, Ky.
He had received the Air Medal and Oak Leaf Clusters.
Inscription
2LT, US ARMY AIR FORCES WORLD WAR II
