World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
Richard Elliott Fate
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Wahoo, Nebraska
Honored By
Sam E. Pennartz
Deployed to the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO), and was assigned to 20th Air Force, XXI Bomber Command, 73rd Bomb Wing, 497th Bombardment Group (VH), 869th Bomb Squadron stationed at Isley Field on Saipan in the Mariana Islands. After numerous combat missions, he flew as the Aircraft Command Pilot aboard a Boeing B-29A Superfortress, nicknamed "Fickle Finger of Fate" serial #44-61663, tail code A-Square-16, enroute to Kwajalein and the United States. Approximately two hours after take-off, the #1 engine caught fire and had to be feathered to extinguish the fire. The crew radioed they would return to Saipan. At approximately 0230 hours, on 5 October 1945, the aircraft crashed while landing in a strong cross-wind at Kobler Naval Air Field on Saipan. Captain Fate and 15 others did not survive the crash.