Roland L Rich Richardson (deceased)

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Rich Richardson was born in Bridgeman, Michigan in 1919. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1939, and was trained as a communications specialist. After joining the AVG, one of his first duties was the installation of radios into P-40 aircraft. He was instrumental in establishing a ground radio station 150 miles from Kunming, within a Chinese temple. Rich recalls, 'We served as a warning net to give cities advance notice that air raids were coming. I was the only American in the station; we had Chinese radio mechanics, guards, an interpreter and a cook.' Rich operated early-warning stations at Mengtze on the French-Indochina border, Hengyang and Kweilin, China. Staying in China after the AVG, Rich was sworn in as a 1st lieutenant, and continued wdh the same duties until his return to the U.S. in 1942. By 1943, he had completed pilot training, and served as transportation officer from base to joint staff levels. Following Command and Staff School and completing college, Rich became closely associated with the C-130. Assigned to France as a squadron ops officer and later as Inspector General of the 322nd Air Division, he joined the 64th TAW in 1968 as director of operations, later becoming vice-commander, retiring at the rank of Colonel in 1971. Sadly, he died on 7th November 2009.

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