Richard Hamilton served in the U.S. Army Air Corps as a Captain in the 462nd Bomb Squadron, 346th Bomb Group during World War II. He was executed by the Japanese on July 21, 1945. On May 9, 1945, his B-29 plane crashed near Takaida, near Fuse, Japan after being damaged by anti-aircraft fire. Captain Hamilton was the only survivor. He was arrested by the Fuse police and taken to the Kempeitai in Osaka, where he was executed.