I am looking for any information regarding 1st Lt Richard Francis Hoy of the 3rd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 12 USAAF.  This officer is identified as being buried along with 23 French partisan soldiers at a small French-maintained cemetary on the east side of autoroute A75, just north of the village of La Caylar in southern France, about 45 minutes south of the new Millau bridge. 
 
Hoy's dedication plaque at the cemetary says that he was killed on 22 August 1944 in the small hamlet of Les Infruts, a couple of kilometers NW of the cemetary.  The Frenchmen were identified has also having been killed on that date as a result of enemy engagement.  As a point of reference, Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France, admitedly south and east of there, began on 15 August 1944.
 
Lt Hoy is not listed as a WWII American fatality by the American Battle Monuments Commission.
 
Thank you for your help.
 
Don Bohler

Here are two links written in French.  I have also provided you this third link with which you can either copy the text and translate it into English or you can translate the  webpage.  When I tried to translate it first before sending it to you, it ommitted the photos which I'm sure you would like to see.  If you have any trouble, let me know.  Regards-Jim
 
 http://ddm12.free.fr/libepezade.html
 
http://www.millau-clic.com/index.php?option=com_magazine&func=show_article&id=217
 
http://www.babelfish.altavista.com/tr

Jim McCabe
My father, Lt. Mike McCabe(deceased 4/26/05), 307th BG, 424th BS, was a Navigator based at Morotai. Mission dates ranged from 2/20/45-8/1/45.

Jim, thanks for your help.  My French is good enough to read the articles.  The first link to the La Depeche article was very informative and I have asked La Depeche for additional information,  The American Battle Monument Commission reported to me today that Lt. Hoy's remains were finally removed to Michigan (date unspecified).  The French have included (reportedly) the memory of Lt. Hoy in their rememberance ceremonies at Pezade since 1999.  The 60th anniversary ceremony in 2004, as reported by Le Depeche, was rolled out with the Star Spangled Banner and American flag.  Unfortunate that no American was present to acknowledge.  Don

Hello,
 
In the MACR database there is one MACR this day for a F-6 (recon version Mustang). MACR is 8744 and serial is 42-103428.
 
Do you know if Hoy was flying this aircraft ?

 
2nd.Lt. Richard F. Hoy #O-820291, temporary burial site Draguignan Cemetery, Saint Raphael, France, later relocated at request  of next of kin to a private cemetery in the state of Michigan.
 
Terry T.

Yes, this looks like the one.  You have to scroll down about a third of the way.
 
http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:5-R1z9wg1SAJ:www.accident-report.com/Serials/1942z8.htm+%2242-103428%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=us

Jim McCabe
My father, Lt. Mike McCabe(deceased 4/26/05), 307th BG, 424th BS, was a Navigator based at Morotai. Mission dates ranged from 2/20/45-8/1/45.

Terry T, I do not know if Lt. Hoy was flying this particular F-6.  Here is what was reported by the French daily newspapers from that area (my translation and editing).
 
Lt. Hoy was, on 22 August 1944, part of a two ship Mustang formation on a surveillance and strafing mission against German forces heading north.  The German occupation forces, headquartered at Millau, had begun to evacuate on 21 August.  The local newspaper reports that his mission objective was to observe and delay the German retreat.  The other pilot, who survived to report the flight details, was Lt. Roy Simmons.  The two fighters took off from Corsica and followed a route that took them over Marseille, Saint-Gilles, Nimes, Ales, Peyreleau and the Larzac plateau around the town of La Cavalerie.  As a reference, La Cavalerie is located about 13 miles NW of the small cemetery where Hoy’s memorial plaque is placed, Memorial de la Pezade (the origin of this name is unknown to me – the newspapers refer to it as the place called Pezade), located 3 kilometers north of the village of Le Caylar.
 
At 1850 local, Hoy’s aircraft was hit (how is not described) and crashed, killing Lt. Hoy.  He was initially buried at Les Infrust (or Les Infruts) just west of La Cavalerie.  (Subsequently, we know that his body was removed to a temporary burial site at Draguignan Cemetery, Saint Raphael, France and later to a cemetery in Michigan).
 
On that same day, a group of French partisan soldiers under the command of marquis Paul Clé, returning from a road sabotage mission at Pas-de-l’Escalette south of Le Caylar, were discovered by a German detachment and 23 were killed.
 
In memory of all who died in this area on that date, the French elected to honor the American who fell from the sky into their midst on 22 August 1944 together with their 23 partisan comrades fallen on the same date.  If you understand the esteem and reverence with which the French people hold their WWII resistance fighters, the significance of this gesture cannot be overlooked or overestimated.  They have not forgotten.
 
Don

Laurent Rizzoti, I do not know if Lt. Hoy was flying this particular F-6.  Here is what was reported by the French daily newspapers from that area (my translation and editing).
 
Lt. Hoy was, on 22 August 1944, part of a two ship Mustang formation on a surveillance and strafing mission against German forces heading north.  The German occupation forces, headquartered at Millau, had begun to evacuate on 21 August.  The local newspaper reports that his mission objective was to observe and delay the German retreat.  The other pilot, who survived to report the flight details, was Lt. Roy Simmons.  The two fighters took off from Corsica and followed a route that took them over Marseille, Saint-Gilles, Nimes, Ales, Peyreleau and the Larzac plateau around the town of La Cavalerie.  As a reference, La Cavalerie is located about 13 miles NW of the small cemetery where Hoy’s memorial plaque is placed, Memorial de la Pezade (the origin of this name is unknown to me – the newspapers refer to it as the place called Pezade), located 3 kilometers north of the village of Le Caylar.
 
At 1850 local, Hoy’s aircraft was hit (how is not described) and crashed, killing Lt. Hoy.  He was initially buried at Les Infrust (or Les Infruts) just west of La Cavalerie.  (Subsequently, we know that his body was removed to a temporary burial site at Draguignan Cemetery, Saint Raphael, France and later to a cemetery in Michigan).
 
On that same day, a group of French partisan soldiers under the command of marquis Paul Clé, returning from a road sabotage mission at Pas-de-l’Escalette south of Le Caylar, were discovered by a German detachment and 23 were killed.
 
In memory of all who died in this area on that date, the French elected to honor the American who fell from the sky into their midst on 22 August 1944 together with their 23 partisan comrades fallen on the same date.  If you understand the esteem and reverence with which the French people hold their WWII resistance fighters, the significance of this gesture cannot be overlooked or overestimated.  They have not forgotten.
 
Don

This was the only Lt. Hoy listed:
 
Terry T.
 

Terry T, going back over my notes -- I'd like to ask you to what list were you referring when you said, "This was the only Lt Hoy listed."
 
The entent of your practical knowledge is impressive.

Dear Don ,
 
You may have a look at this link.
http://aerosteles.hydroretro.net/fiche.php?code=pezade-hoy
 
Regards,
 
Christophe