Richard Wann's aircraft was shot down by flak on mission to Magdeburg, Germany on February 3rd, 1945. "We lost three engines and traded altitude for distance while fuel was lost from left wing fuel tank. I bailed out in Vosges Mountain area near Zweibrucken, landed in "no-man land." I evaded capture for 7 days with a broken ankle, fractured back, and frozen feet. Finally I was caught by SS Troops and was severely mistreated while imprisoned in Zweibrucken and Heppenheim. We were liberated on March 27, 1945 by the 7th Army."

Richard used the GI Bill after leaving the Military at Purdue University and became an Industrial Engineer.

"Keep the faith in all adversarial conditions by thinking of survival as the only revenge against the enemy."