Presidential Unit Citation Purple Heart
Combat Action Korean Campaign United Nations Navy Occupation Nat'l Defense Korean War Medal American Defense
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1932 (Age 1 year Old) Boot Camp Photo 1948 Home on leave 1949
1950 age 19 Outside Barracks 2004 Age 73 Taken in Yokusuca Japan NAAS Miramar 1952
************************************************************************************************************************************* I was Born May 16, 1931 in Somerville, Massachusetts. In 1935 my family moved 15 miles North of Boston to a little town called Wilmington Mass. The little house (shown below) was home until I entered the U.S. Navy on 1 June 1948.
1950 1991 1991 ************************************************************************************************************************************ In 1941, at the age of 10, learning to play the Trumpet was my main interest . My loving mother purchased a new trumpet for me at a cost of $69 and then made the arrangements for me to take private lessons for the next several years (50 cents per lesson). Every Saturday I had to walk three miles down and three miles back, to the Instructors house, and that was a bit tiring. But at a cost of fifty cents per lesson, I guess I shouldn't complain. When I entered Jr. High School in 1944, I became a member of the school band and continued on thru High School to became the top Trumpet solo player in the High School Band.
1945 in front of my house Playing taps at the Memorial Day Parade
The following day (June 1st) I joined the U.S.Navy Playing at the High School football games and the Memorial Day Parades was lots of fun. Being the High School Top Trumpet player also had other interests. Since the USA was deep into WWII during the early 1940's we seen many sad days when our war hero's were being returned home only to be buried in the military plot at the Wildwood Cemetery in Wilmington, Mass. The local American Legion Post would conduct military burial services and needed a bugler to play taps. It was an honor for me to be selected as the Legions bugler for these services, but quite sad. The only enjoyment was going to the Legion hall after the ceremony for coffee and donuts. A legitimate (and legal) excuse for getting out of a class *************************************************************************************************************** Wilmington Schools attended by Earl (Rick) Richard
West School Whitefield School Center School W.T. Buzzell School Wilmington H.S. The Old Sr. High School Grades 1 & 2 Grades 3,4, 5 Grade 6 Grades 7 & 8 Grades 9 thru 12 Grades 9 thru 12 (Now a Museum) ( North Wilmington) Jr. High School
*************************************************************************************************************** On June 1st 1948 I decided to join the U.S. Marine Corps and went to the Fargo Building in Boston to enlist (up on the 5th floor). Upon (almost) completing the physical, I was told the Marine Corp height requirement was 5 ft 3 Inches. I measured 5 ft 2-3/4 Inches. Yup, you guessed it, I was turned down. The recruiter handed me a bunch of enlistment papers and suggested that I take them up to the 7th floor and join the U.S. Navy. That was where I ended up - and was then shipped off to Chicago where I entered Boot Camp Training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center as a member of Company 189. (See Photo below) Photo below taken approximately August 1948
Rick Richard kneeling at far right, bottom row.
************************************************************************************************************** With my music background, I was also selected to participate in the NTC Recruit Training Command Drum and Bugle Corps. More fun than spending all day on the grinder marching with a rifle and drilling. Photos below taken approximately July 1948
Left photo - Rick Richard directly in the middle of the marching group Right photo, Rick Richard kneeling in the bottom row - far left
************************************************************************************************************** Five Boot Camp buddies from the State of Massachusetts
Top Row- William Murphy- Roxbury Mass. 2nd Row - Wally Merchant - Brockton, Mass Hank Hanson - Everett, Mass. Sal Coraccio - Waltham, Mass. 3rd Row - Frank Chreafulli - Belmont, Mass. Rick Richard, Wilmington, Mass Vic Santamaria - Waltham Mass
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