Thorburn, Richard M.

Description

Richard “Dick” Murray Thorburn

Richard “Dick” Murray Thorburn was born on April 14, 1916, in Dedham, Massachusetts, to Dorothy Nesbitt and James Grieve Thorburn. He had two brothers James and Donald and in Rye his family lived on Mohawk St and were members of the Presbyterian Church. Dick was educated in England and was graduated from Middlesex School and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, in 1936.

Capt. Thorburn was commissioned in the British Army in 1939 and served in India until 1942 when he transferred to the U.S. Army Air Force. He served in the 13th Army Air Force and by 1943, the then 26-year old officer had been overseas for 18 months and had served in all of the southwest Pacific combat zone.

The Thirteenth Air Force (13 AF), famously known as “The Jungle Air Force,” was a major United States Army Air Force (USAAF) formation in the Pacific Theater during World War II. The 13th AF participated in 13 major campaigns, starting with the defense of the Solomon Islands (including Guadalcanal) and advancing through New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, and the Philippines. During the war, the 13th AF flew 93,726 sorties, dropped over 65,000 tons of bombs, and destroyed 1,395 enemy aircraft.

U. S. ARMY HEADQUARTERS IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC. ‘ Captain
Richard M. Thorburn, of Rye, a member of the 13th Army Air Force, is presented the Air Medal by Brig.-Gen. A. J. Barnett at a South Pacific island base.
Captain Thorburn was ordered decorated by Lieut. Gen. Millard F.
Harmon, commanding U. S. Army Forces in the South Pacific, for meritorious
achievement while participating, during the period of January 11 to September 22, 1943, in twenty-five operational air flights, during which; exposure to
enemy fire was probable and expected.
He is the son of Mrs. James G. Thorburn of Colebrook Apartments.

After the war Dick returned home to Rye, NY. He married Miss Margaret Catherine Blau, daughter of Mrs. Oscar Blau, Sydney, Australia, on Saturday December 15,1945 at the Rye Presbyterian Church. The Rev. Dr. John D. Gregory officiated and there was a reception in the Guild Room. The couple met when Major Thorburn was serving as pilot with the Army Air Forces in the South Pacific.

By 1950, Dick was working in sales for a steel manufacturer and living in Michigan. His work would eventually lead him to living much of the time abroad. His first marriage would end in divorce and he married Barbara Ellinwood Frost on June 28, 1969, in Fairfield, Connecticut. The couple would live in Antwerp, Belgium for a time and then spend 25 years living in England.

Richard “Dick” Murray Thorburn died on February 15, 1997, in Barnstaple, Devon, England, at the age of 80, and was buried in Massachusetts National Cemetery.