World War II Honoree

Richard Manford Baughn

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Council Bluffs, Iowa

Relationship

Self

ENTERED THE ARMY AIR FORCES AS AN AVIATION CADET AFTER ONE SEMESTER OF COLLEGE AND GRADUATED AS A SINGLE ENGINE PILOT IN APRIL 1944. GRADUATION LEAVE WAS CUT SHORT AND RECEIVED EXPEDITED P-40 TRAINING AND WAS SENT TO EUROPE TO FLY COMBAT WITH P-51 UNITS. FLEW 51 COMBAT MISSIONS AND SHOT DOWN AN ME-109 AND DESTROYED FOUR MORE ON THE GROUND. LAST ONE WAS AN ME- 262 WHICH HAD BEEN PART OF A 10-12 SHIP FORCE THAT ATTACKED THE B-17 AIRCRAFT WE WERE ESCORTING. WAS LEADING THE THIRD ELEMENT IN A FLIGHT OF SIX WHO CHASED THE ME-262 AIRCRAFT BACK TO PRAGUE, CZECHOSLOVAKIA AND SHOT DOWN TWO IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. DESTROYED ONE AFTER HE LANDED AND WAS ROLLING ALONG THE RUNWAY. ENCOUNTERED HEAVY GROUND FIRE AND TOOK A FEW HITS IN THE TAIL OF THE P-51. A CAREER OFFICER, RETIRED AS A BRIGADIER GENERAL.