Richard D. O’Brien was born on 10 July 1920.  He was the son of James and Katherine O’Brien of Irvington, New Jersey.  Richard was assigned to the 421stBomb Squadron of the 305thBomb Group.  He served as the Tail Gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress that was piloted by Darrel V. Betz. On 16 August 1944, the crew was on a mission to bomb an airfield near Bohlen in Germany.  On route to the target, the bomber was hit by anti-aircraft fire that disabled the cotrols.  It went into a spin and crashed at Vollradisroda, Germany.  Fire enveloped the bomber, and the full load of bombs on board exploded. Only the pilot survived. The crew’s Bombardier, James E. Mauzy, its Ball Turret Gunner, William D Dunn, and its Tail Gunner, Joseph B. Michalski are also buried at the Ardennes American Cemetery.

Information from the American Air Museum and the IDPFs of his crew members