PLACE, RICHARD L Nov 18, 1944 age 21 MIA/FOD North Italy

RICHARD LELAND PLACE  b. July 23, 1923 Detroit d. Nov 18, 1944

Missing in Action/Finding of Death North Italy

2^nd Lt O-710167 US Air Force 57th Fighter Group 66th Fighter Squad

Buried Oak View Cemetery, Royal Oak, Michigan

8853 Birwood

16524 Glastonbury

 
Parents: Leland Fulton & Grace M
Sibling: Robert Raymond   
 

Leland was born in New York. In 1930 in the family home at 8853 Birwood they had a 14 year old boarder from Scotland living with them in the duplex they owned. The census only gives the bare facts, no background explanation. Leland was a purchasing agent. They later lived in Rosedale Park, 16524 Glastonbury.

Ford Trade School 1941

Robert graduated from Redford, then went to Ford Trade School. The school was based on Henry Ford’s belief of young boys learning by doing.  He received a degree in mechanical engineering from the Edison Institute of Technology when it was a private educational school, before it evolved into Greenfield Village and museum.  When he registered for the draft June 29, 1942 the 5’10”, 155 lb grown eyes brown haired young man worked at Lincoln Motors. He entered the service in Feb 1943.  

 

He was stationed at Aloe air Field, Victoria, TX where he did advanced single-engine training for fighter pilots. Robert flew a P-47D #44-20119 as a Thunderbolt fighter pilot attached to a pursuit squadron. On Nov 18, 1944 he flew out of  Grossoto Main airport in Italy on a strafing pass in Northern Italy.  Lt. Place flew too close to the tree tops and caught his belly tank on a tree. The tank was ripped off and burned. The ship hit the ground flat and skidded quite a distance over an open field. It came to rest near a road where the remains of the ship caught fire and burned. According to an eyewitness report from another plane, there was a slight possibility that the pilot got out. The account from the lead plane of the group was that the pilot was not seen to leave the aircraft. Lt. Place had been overseas one month.

 

 

 

 

 

A memorial solemn high mass was sung for him at St. Mary’s of Redford on April 5, 1945.

A military reburial service was held Nov 27, 1949 at Oak View Cemetery.