Remembering Them Forever (RTF)!
Owen, Richard May
- Texas, Dallas County, United States
Military Information:
- Rank 03
- Deceased
- WWII Veteran
- POW: Prisoner of War
- TVHOF Patriot Award
- WWII Victory Medal
- LT: Lieutenant
- Lieutenant O-3
- 1-Alpha List
- EAME (European-African- Middle Eastern) Campaign Medal
- TVHOF Class 2022
- AM: Air Medal with Silver Cluster
- Cemetery: College Station, College Station, Brazos County, Texas
Dates of Service 1:
Service Start Date: NA Service End Date: NA
Dates of Service 2:
Service Start Date: NA Service End Date: NA
Bio:
Brief Bio for Richard Mays Owen
Born: October 3, 1924 Dallas, Texas
Died: April 28, 1981 Fort Worth, Texas
Married: Mary Hamilton Boone May 1944
Survived at the Gme of his Death by his Wife (Mary Hamilton) , Four Children: Richard M. Owen Jr, Peggy Hamilton Cooper, Sally Owen Thompson and Charles S Owen II and Five Grandchildren
1st Lt. Richard Owen was a MIA/POW in WWII. He joined the USAAF in May 1944 (directly after his Marriage) at the age of 19 with only one parGal year completed at Mississippi State College. He was a member of ROTC throughout high school as well his limited Gme in college. He was 5’4” and weighed 130 lb. He served as a 1st Lt. Navigator in a B17 Bomber (Flying Fortress) in the 775 Bomb Squadron 463 Bomb Group 15AF from May of 1944 unGl November of 1945. During his eighteen months of service he was awarded Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Purple Heart, European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon (EAME) and six Bronze Stars
Lt. Owen flew in nineteen combat missions over Germany. His aircraft was shot down by enemy fire on February 25, 1945 over Linz, Austria. The aircraft was forced to leave the formaGon in an effort to make friendly territory (Russia). Unfortunately, they were unable to make-it and all ten occupants were forced to bail out. Lt. Owen landed hanging from a tree branch by his parachute and was held in place by German Farmers with pitchforks until the German Soldiers arrived and escorted him along with the other airmen into the local town to await transportaGon to a prison camp.
After sixty-three days as a POW, he was liberated April 29, 1945. Allied forces led by General George S. Paion had begun to invade Germany early that April liberating all the POWs in numerous prison camps throughout Germany. The official end of the war was declared on May 7, 1945. He arrived back in the USA in San Antonio, TX May 19, 1945 via Camp Lucky Strike in France.
Lt. Owen came home to a one month old newborn Son (Richard Owen Jr.). He was still 5’4” but barely weighed 100 lb. At that time he stated to his Wife …“He had witnessed the worst of horrors that life could ever have to offer…and there were two things he would never be again … Unhappy and Hungry … and there was never going to be anything in life that would keep him from being just that.” Mom took that to heart and made sure that Dad lived and died a “Fat and Happy Man”!
God has had his Hand on Richard Mays Owen in Life and in Death
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/81682980/richard-mays-owen
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