Richard L. Ransom was born in 1921. He was the son of Frederick Taylor Ransom and Emma Laffler Ransom.

Richard resided in Niagara County, New York prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on March 1, 1943, at the Nashville Air Corps Facilities, Tennessee. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Clerk and also as Single, without dependents.

Richard served in the 848th Bomber Squadron, 490th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Second Lieutenant and Co-Pilot on the B-17 #43-37618 during World War II. He was Killed in Action on August 13, 1944, in Roydon, England, when his airplane crashed after a mid-air collision with B-17 #43-38051. The crash resulted in the death of seven members of his crew, while the other airplane had four casualties.

2Lt Ransom is now buried in the Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Airmen who perished on B-17 #43-37618:
Bowling, Paul ~ S/Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, CA
Bright, Arthur R ~ 1st Lt, Navigator, PA
Noblin, Charles R ~ S/Sgt, Radio Operator, VA
Ransom, Richard L ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, NY
Ratliff, Clifford A ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, KS
Terling, Patsy L ~ S/Sgt, Waist Gunner, PA
Weaver, Crawford D ~ T/Sgt, Top Turret Gunner, LA

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov