Richard I. Oldenburg
Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces

On 20 October 1944, Sergeant Richard I. Oldenburg was serving as a gunner with the 758th Bomb Squadron, 459th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 304th Bombardment Wing, 15th Air Force, based at Giulia Airfield, Italy. The 459th Bombardment Group flew B-24 Liberator bombers on missions in Italy, France, the Balkans, Austria and Germany.

On that day, SGT Oldenburg was a gunner on B-24J Liberator bomber AAF Serial Number 42-52010 on a bombing mission over Munich, Germany. The aircraft had a crew of 10. The aircraft was last sighted at 1420 hours over the Gulf of Venezia (Venice), Italy. The Missing Air Crew Report noted that there were "No apparent reasons for disappearance of the aircraft." First Lieutenant Thomas D. Rutherfoord, flying in another B-24 in the Number 1 position of 'A' flight (the missing aircraft was in the Number 7 position of 'A' flight), was the last to see the aircraft. His written statement said the aircraft "seemed to be in no difficulty inasmuch as all four of his engines were running smoothly and the ship was flying level under control."

All 10 crew members were listed as Killed in Action on 20 October 1944. *

Medals, Awards and Badges

Purple Heart
Air Medal
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Army Air Forces Aircrew Badge

* B-24J Liberator Bomber AAF Serial Number 42-52010 had the following crew on 20 October 1944.

● Pilot: 2LT Arthur (NMI) Hartman [Honoree Record ID 75192]
● Co-Pilot: 2LT Donald G. Smithey [Honoree Record ID 77822]
● Navigator: 2LT Arthur E. Fierman [Honoree Record ID 74622]
● Bombardier: 2LT Donald L. Collins [Honoree Record ID 307943]
● Engineer/Gunner: SGT Don (NMI) Kearney [Honoree Record ID 307944]
● Engineer/Gunner: SGT Theodore R. Scott [Honoree Record ID 77617]
● Radio Operator/Gunner: SGT Paul E. Estep [Honoree Record ID 307947]
● Gunner: SGT Harvey R. Sorensen [Honoree Record ID 77841]
● Gunner: SGT Richard I. Oldenburg [Honoree Record ID 206164]
● Gunner: SGT Harold H. Lauck [Honoree Record ID 75961]

Memorialization

Sergeant Richard I. Oldenburg's remains were not recovered. He is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial in Nettuno, Provincia di Roma, Lazio, Italy.

[The information in this biography was derived primarily from various sections of the 459th Bombardment Group website at http://www.459bg.org/ and permission was granted for its use.]