Lieutenant Richard Norton Beaty was born on 30 January 1920 in New York City, New York, USA, the third of the five children of Julian Bonar Beaty (1880-1978) and Constance Saltonstall Dawbarn Beaty née Peck (1891-1990). New York State Census and United States Federal Census returns from 1925 to 1940 show his family residing in Rye, Westchester County, New York, USA. In 1941 he is recorded at Princetown, New Jersey, USA.
In 1941 he joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve as a Pilot Officer and was assigned to No.133 Squadron. On 26 September 1942 he was flying a Spitfire Mk IX aeroplane, serial number BS148, as one of the 12 aircraft of his squadron that were acting as fighter cover for an American B-17 daylight bombing raid in what became known as the Morlaix disaster. He turned back about 50 minutes into the flight because of engine trouble and was preparing to bale out because of fuel starvation when he spotted the English coast and was able to crash land in a field near Kingsbridge, Devon. He was critically injured, but survived his injuries. He went on to serve in the 336th Fighter Squadron of the United States Army Air Force with the rank of Lieutenant and was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
On 16 September 1943 he married Helen Wolcott Corscarden (1925-2011) in New York City, USA and their daughter, Susan Saltonstall Beaty (1945-2011), was born there on 23 September 1945. Their marriage did not last and he was remarried on 24 May 1948 to Judith Helen Loeb (1927-2010) in Purchase, Westchester County, New York.
He died, aged 45 years, on 5 February 1965 in Rye, New York and was buried in Section Rockmont, Lot 114, Grave 4, in the Greenwood Union Cemetery, 215 North Street, Rye, New York.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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