WWll FALLEN F1C Richard James Ahern, USN

F1C Richard James Ahern (service #3821214) was born 2 OCT 1921 in Gurley, Cheyenne County, Nebraska. His father James Daniel Ahern and mother Sadie Catherine Ahern were both born in Nebraska. Richard is the oldest of five children. He had four sisters, all born in Nebraska. His second oldest sister, Margaret Marie, was a flight nurse in the Air Force. She served during the Korea War and was discharged as a captain. His youngest sister was a nun.

His father was a farmer when they lived in Nebraska. Sometime between 1930 and 1940, the family moved to California. His father worked as a carpenter. His mother worked as a cook. The family lived in Van Nuys, California. He graduated from Van Nuys High School.

Richard joined the Navy on 10 OCT 1939 in Los Angeles.. He was assigned to the USS Arizona (BB-39) on 20 DEC 1939 from NTS San Diego.

On the morning of & DEC 1941, the USS Arizona was moored at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The Arizona was hit with several bombs. One bomb landed in a magazine causing the ship to explode and sink. F1C Ahern was among the 1,177 officers and crewmen to die on the Arizona that day. There were 334 survivors. His body was not recovered and rests in the memorial for the USS Arizona. At the time of his death his family was still living in Van Nuys, California.

Richard was posthumously awarded: Purple Heart, American Defense Service Medal w/Fleet Clasp, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/Star, WWll Victory Medal.

REFERENCE:

++https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7884308/richard-james-ahern++

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++http://ussarizona.org/index.php/search?searchword=Richard%20Ahern&ordering=newest&searchphrase=all++

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https://basic.newspapers.com/image/580106801/?terms=richard%20james%20ahern&match=1

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/111807420/richard-james-ahern

Photo added by ++Tom.Burgdorf++

http://ussarizona.org/index.php/features/lists/uss-arizona-casualty-list/371-ahern-richard-james

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