2nd LT. David

Richard Kingsley 

  (US Air Force)

 

On this day,

81 years ago,

on June 23, 1944,

Second Lieutenant

David Richard Kingsley,

age 25, was serving

as bombardier

aboard a B‑17

Flying Fortress with

the 341st

Bombardment

Squadron,

97th Bombardment

Group,

Fifteenth Air Force

during a bombing

mission over

the Ploiești oil fields

in Romania.

The aircraft faced i

ntense flak and enemy

fighter attacks during

its run over the target.

 

During the bomb run,

the plane was hit by

heavy anti-aircraft fire

that damaged its

formation integrity

and dropped its

altitude. On returning

toward the target,

it was aggressively

intercepted by three

Messerschmitt

Bf 109 fighters.

Enemy aircraft strafed

the fuselage, and the

tail gunner was

wounded in the

upper arm.

Despite the damage,

Kingsley stayed at

his post and

successfully released

the bombs on target.

 

Kingsley left his

bombardier station

and moved into the

radio room to aid

the wounded

tail gunner.

He skillfully applied

first aid to control

the bleeding,

removed the man’s

heavy clothing and

parachute harness,

and covered him

with blankets to keep

him stable.

As the aircraft

continued to be

attacked—this time

by eight Bf 109s

—the ball turret gunner

was then wounded

by shell fragments.

Kingsley returned

forward, administered

treatment again,

and ensured the

man was stabilized.

 

When the pilot

eventually ordered

the crew to prepare

to bail out,

Kingsley immediately

assisted both

wounded gunners

in fitting their

parachute harnesses.

Discovering that

the tail gunner’s

parachute was

damaged or missing,

Kingsley unhesitatingly

removed his own

parachute and gave

it to the wounded

man.

He then helped

both gunners exit

the plane.

 

After helping them

bail out, he climbed

into the bomb bay

and stood on the

catwalk, fully visible

in the fuselage opening,

as the plane flew

on automatic pilot.

The aircraft crashed

and burned shortly

afterward.

Kingsley did not

make it out.

His body was later

recovered from the

wreckage near

Suhozem, Bulgaria.

 

Kingsley’s actions

directly saved the

life of a fatally

wounded crew

member at the cost of

his own life.

He had completed

at least 20 combat

missions before this f

light, and on

this mission

he prioritized the lives

of his crewmates

over his own survival.

For his selfless

courage, Kingsley

was posthumously

awarded the 

*Medal of Honor*

on April 9, 1945.

 

He is buried at

Arlington National

Cemetery, age 25.

His legacy is honored

at Kingsley Field and

through memorials

near the crash site.

 

소위 데이비드 

리처드 킹슬리
(미 공군)

81년 전 오늘, 1944년 6월

 23일, 당시 25세였던 

데이비드 리처드 킹슬리 

소위는 

루마니아 플로이에슈티

 유전 상공을 폭격하는 

임무를 수행 중

 제15공군 제97폭격단

 제341폭격비행대 소속

 B-17 플라잉 포트리스

 폭격수였습니다.

 이 전투기는 목표 

상공을 비행하는 동안 

적기의 9집중적인 

대공포와 전투기의

 공격을 받았습니다.

폭격 비행 중 전투기는 

맹렬한 대공포화를 맞아 

편대가 손상되고 고도가

 떨어졌습니다.

 목표 지점으로 

복귀하던 중, 메서슈미트 

Bf 109 전투기 3대의

 맹렬한 요격을

 받았습니다. 

적기가 동체에

 기총소사를 했고,

 꼬리 사수는 

팔뚝에 부상을 

입었습니다. 

손상에도 불구하고

 킹슬리는 자신의 위치를 ​​

지키며 목표 지점에 

폭탄을 성공적으로

 투하했습니다.

킹슬리는 폭격수

 배치소를 떠나 부상당한

 꼬리 사수를 돕기 위해 

통신실로 이동했습니다. 

그는 능숙하게 

응급처치를 하여

 출혈을 막고, 

부상자의 두꺼운 옷과 

낙하산을 벗기고 

담요로 덮어 안정을

 유지했습니다.

 항공기가 계속 공격받는 

가운데, 이번에는 

8대의 Bf 109 전투기가

 공격했고,

 볼 터렛 사수는 포탄 

파편에 부상을 

입었습니다. 

킹슬리는 다시 전방으로 

돌아와 치료를 하고 

부상자가 안정을

 되찾도록 했습니다.

조종사가 마침내

 승무원들에게 탈출

 준비를 하라고 지시하자, 

킹슬리는 즉시 부상당한 

두 사수가 낙하산을 

착용하도록 도왔습니다. 

꼬리 사수의 낙하산이 

손상되었거나 분실된 

것을ㅊ발견한 킹슬리는

 주저 없이 자신의 

낙하산을 벗겨 

부상자에게 

건네주었습니다. 

그리고 두 사수가 

비행기에서 탈출할 

수 있도록 

도왔습니다.

그들이 탈출하는 것을 

도운 후, 그는 폭탄창으로 

올라가 통로에 섰습니다. 

동체 입구에서 완전히 

보이는 가운데, 

비행기는 자동 조종으로

비행했습니다.

비행기는 곧 추락하여

불타버렸습니다.

킹슬리는 살아남지

못했습니다.

그의 시신은 이후 불가리아

수호젬 인근 잔해에서

발견되었습니다.

킹슬리의 행동은 치명상을

 입은 승무원 한 명의 목숨을 구했지만, 정작 본인은 

목숨을 잃었습니다. 

그는 이 비행 전에 최소

 20회의 전투 임무를 

완수했으며, 

이번 임무에서는 자신의 

생존보다 승무원들의 

생명을 우선시했습니다.

그의 사심 없는 용기로

킹슬리는 사후
1945년 4월 9일 

*명예 훈장*을 

수여받았습니다.

그는 25세의 나이로 알링턴 

국립묘지에 안장되었습니다. 

그의 유산은 킹슬리 필드와

 추락 현장 근처의 추모비를 

통해 기려지고 있습니다.