World War II Honoree

Richard Henry Carmichael

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Hillsboro, Texas

Honored By

Henry J. Zasowski

DEPARTED ON A MISSION FROM HAMILTON FIELD ON DECEMBER 6, 1941 AND ARRIVED AT HICKAM FIELD , DECEMBER 7 TO FIND HIS SQUADRON OF B-17 AIRCRAFT HAD JUST ENTERED THE WAR. HIS SKILL IN LANDING HIS B-17 ON AN EMERGENCY FIELD WAS ACKNOWLEDGED BY GENERAL MACARTHUR WITH THE AWARD OF THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS. AS COMMANDER OF THE 19TH BOMB GROUP, HE PARTICIPATED IN 25 COMBAT MISSIONS AGAINST THE JAPANESE RECEIVING HIS SECOND DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS. IN NOVEMBER 1942, HE SERVED AS EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO GENERAL HAP ARNOLD UNTIL ASSUMING COMMAND OF THE 462ND BOMB GROUP. ON AUGUST 20, 1944 HE LED HIS GROUP IN A B-29 ATTACK ON YAWATA, JAPAN, WAS SHOT DOWN AND BECAME A PRISONER OF WAR UNTIL HE WAS LIBERATED AUGUST 29, 1945.