Husband of Milford Girl Reported Dead
Lieut. Richard R. Chapman of the Army Air Corps is reported to have died March 26 as the result of injuries received in action on the Tunisian front, according to word received by his wife, Mrs. Richard R. Chapman of Milford. Mrs. Chapman is the former Mildred Hausmann, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louie Hausmann of near Milford, and a sister of Miss Betty Hausmannn, who is employed at Reed’s Café here.
No official word has been received from the government yet regarding the flyer’s death, the above message being sent to Mrs. Chapman by a friend of her husband’s, who was stationed with him in Tunisia. The friend states that her husband had suffered a broken leg and head injuries and had been taken to a base hospital for care and later when he went to visit him, he was told that the aviator had died from his injuries.
Lieut. Chapman recently wrote his parents, Mr. and Mrs. R. L. Chapman of Estherville, that he had been sent to a base hospital to rest after spending 40 hours of continuous air action in the front lines of Tunisia, less than a mile from the advance lines of the enemy. His parents believe that he might have been wounded at that time, but had not wanted to tell them.
Lieut. Chapman, who had just received his first lieutenant’s rating in Africa recently, was one of a few American pilots who volunteered for action against the enemy in extremely dangerous stormy weather in November. He had been in Africa since Jan. 1, flying there form England, where he had been stationed for three months as a pursuit plane pilot.
He entered the service January 19th, 1942, and received his wings at Luke Field, Phoenix, Ariz., July 26. From Luke Field he was sent to Drew Field, Fla., and then to New Jersey, before going to England.
The Home Service department of the county Red Cross has been asked to make an effort to verify the report as received from the friend and immediately sent out the necessary information in connection with the investigation.
Source: The Spirit Lake Beacon, Spirit Lake, Iowa, Thursday, April 15, 1943, Page 1
Official Word Comes Of
Lieut, Richard R Chapman’s Death
Mrs. Richard R. Chapman of Milford, the former Mildred Hausmann, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louie Hausmann of Milford, received official word Tuesday morning of the death on March 26 of her husband, Lt. Chapman, as the result of injuries received in action on the Tunisian front. It will be remembered Mrs. Chapman received a letter in April from a friend of her husband stating that the flyer had been taken to a base hospital for care after a plane crash in Tunisia March 23. The friend wrote that later he went to the hospital to see his friend, Lt. Chapman and learned that he had died from his injuries.
At the time of receiving the letter from the friend, the family had had no official word from the government and Red Cross investigation was started. Recently the youth’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. R. L. Chapman at Estherville had word from the Red Cross that their son was in full duty status on April 25. The Red Cross urged them however not to place too great confidence in their son’s safety as his status could have been reversed since the date mentioned. After receiving this message the parents and young wife had had some hope that perhaps he was still alive, but the government word this week dispels that hope.
Plans are being made to hold a memorial service for the young flyer, who had been in Africa since January 1st. He was stationed in England for three months previous to that time, being one of the American pilots who volunteered for action against the enemy in extremely dangerous stormy weather in November.
Source: Spirit Lake Beacon, Spirit Lake, Iowa, Thursday, May 27, 1943, Page 7
Lt. Richard Robert Chapman is buried in Saint Patricks Cemetery, Estherville, IA.
Source: ancestry.com
