Richard Lee Monfort


2nd Lt    0-687890    615th
Colorado
1923 - 1944

Navigator aboard 42-38012


     

Linn Grove Cemetery, Greeley, Colorado, USA.
Block 14, Lot 50, Space 008



     Richard was born Jan 11, 1923, Greeley, Weld, Colorado.
     He attendent the Colorado state College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts

     He enlisted to the air corps.

     In 1943 he arrived in England to join the 401st BG
     His last mission, Jan 29, 1944, Target: Frankfurt, the plane was attacked by enemy fighters.
     On the return flight the plane was hit by a rocket of a ME 110 , German fighter.
     Unfortunately, although Richard bailed out, he was killed

     He was awarded with an Air Medal and a Purple Heart Medal

     In 1944, when Richard died on the age of 21 he left behind his family :

         His father, Warren H Monfort, age 49
         His mother, Edith Monfort, age 50
         His sister, Marjorie Monfort, age 22
         His brother, Kenneth Monfort, age 14




Mission to Frankfurt, germany, on the return flight the plane was hit by a rocket of a ME 110 , German fighter.




Individual casualty questionaire

Told by Donald Lamb , Ball Turret Gunner.

- Name of crew member : Monfort , Richard Lee.
- Rank : 2nd Lt.
- Serial number : 0-687890
- Position : Navigator.

- Did he bail out ? : Yes.

- Where was he last seen ? : The last time I saw Monfort alive was prior to take-off at station 128, England.

- Any explanation of his fate ? :
             After I have been released from the German Prisoner of War Camp , I talked to the Bombardier in
             La Havre, France, who told me that when the ship was hit by a rocket of a ME 110, he was firing the
             chin turret and was knocked back against the Navigator.
             The Bombardier further told me that the Navigator ( Monfort ) bailed out of the ship ahead of him and
             that the Germans were still firing on the ship at that time.

             Co-pilot Woods told me in France that when he was captured by the Germans
             they described two (2) bodies which were found by them ( Germans ) and believed to have been the
             Navigator and the Radio Operator.
             The Germans told the crew member that the parachute attached to one body had opened completely
             but did not save the airman's life. The Germans further stated that the rip cord of the parachute
             attached to the second man had not been pulled.
             This man was believed to have been the Navigator.

             Mitchell Kenneth Woods :
             I delayed my jump 20,000 Ft and landed near Worms, Germany where I was captured. Next morning I was
             driven to the outskirts of Rheinhess where two air crew members had landed. I was refused permission to make
             any indentification from the discription of the bodies , I thought them to be R.L Monfort and J.J. Glonek.

             Escape kits and two G.I. watches were shown to me. This seemed to confirm my supposition as both of these men
             were issued watches. A large navigator's map was also shown to me. This map had our mission's target.
             Later, the Bombardier informed me that the Nav.map was missing, when he bailed out.


- Total number of missions of above crew member ? : 2

- Date and destinations if possible ? : Jan    5,  1944 Tours, France
                                                                     Jan  21, 1944 Notre Dame de Ferme
                                                                     Jan  29, 1944 Frankfurt on Main






          Richard is a 1939 graduate of the Colorado state College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts at Fort
          Collins

          In 1940 Richard had a price winnig steer, the Grand Champion of the 1940 Colorado State Fair

                                   

                                       Richard married Miss Viola Swanson Apr 1943 in Houston TX.

                                                                      

                    He recieved his primary training at Ellington Field TX
                    At Hondo Field TX Richard recieved his second Lieutenant's commission.
                    Later he recieved training as a Flying Fortress navigator at Kearney, Neb.

                                   The Monfort family is producing beef and won a couple of awards.

          
                              Photo (l-r) His father, Warren - His mother Mrs Warren - Grandma Monfort
                                   Mrs Viola Monfort ( wife of Robert ) and his brother Kenneth Monfort


          In a letter that Richard wrote he said : We have a front row seat for the big show and from what
          General Jimmy Doolittle say's we have a lot of work to do before things start.

          Every possible chance we get, we will be out tearing at the enemy.
          I am in one of the best squadrons here



          

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