Richard Sherfey Deakins was the son of Argyle “Argil” Alphonso Deakins and Erma Blanche Sherfey.
Piloted P51-D fighter plane with serialnumber 44-13291 out of Italy. Shot down six German planes. Flew sixty missions with no bullet holes in planes over Italian, Austrian, and Balkan territory. He died non Battle in a plane crash in Italy.
Graduated from the University of Tennessee. Joined Army Air Corps March 31, 1942. Graduated May 1942. Native of Washington County, Jonesborough, Sulpher Springs area.
Submitted by sister, Helen Deakins McCrary
The Johnson City Press, 18 June 1944
Richard S. Deakins, son of Mr. and Mrs. A.A. Deakins of Jonesboro, who is a P-47 Thunderbolt fighter pilot in Italy, has been promoted to the grade of first lieutenant, 15th AAF officials have announced. Lieutenant Deakins is a veteran of 35 combat missions over Italian, Australian and Balkan territory. He has three victories over enemy aircraft to his credit. On March 3, 1944, while participating in an escort mission of heavy bombers attacking Viterbo Airfield, Italy, Lieutenant Deakins destroyed a German Messerschmitt-109 and a Focke-Wulf-190, which were attacking the bombers. His third victory was scored last April 13, during a mission to Budapest, Hungary. He has been awarded the Air Medal with nine Oak Leaf clusters. Enlisting in the AAF in March, 1942, Lieutenant Deakins was commissioned as a combat pilot at Brooks Field, Tex., in January, 1943. He is a graduate of Sulphur Springs High School and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
- Rank: 1st Lieutenant
- Date of birth: 6 March 1921
- Date of death: 24 November 1944
- County: Washington
- Hometown: Jonesborough
- Service Branch: Army/Army Air Forces
- Division/Assignment: 318th Fighter Squadron, 325th Fighter Group
- Theater: Europe
- Conflict: World War II
- Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 9 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart, Group Presidential Citation
- Burial/Memorial Location: Sulphur Springs Cemetery, Jonesboro, TN
- Location In Memorial: Pillar XIX, Top Panel
- Contact us to sponsor Richard S. Deakins
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