Richard enlisted in the U.S. Army at Fort Dodge, Iowa on March 10, 1943 during WWII.  He served with the 5rd Armored Engineer Battalion, 8th Company, Army B Division, a mechanized Infantry unit.  He participated in the follow-up relief efforts of Bastogne, Belgium, following the Battle of the Bulge, as well as working to secure POW Camps.  Returning from overseas, he was honorably discharged as a Corporal First Class ( Tech 5)  on Feb 7, 1946.  From1946 to 1947 he served in the Army Reserves and the Sioux City Iowa Air National Guard which was afflilated with the U.S. Army Air Corp.  in 1947, he became an inaugural member of the U.S. Air Force as a new service branch for the military. During his 28 year Air Force career, he participated in the Korean and Vietnam wars as a flight line machinist supporting combat aircraft.  Throughout his entire military career, spanning more that 31 years, he witnessed monumental cultural changes in the military.  He encouraged the desegregation of the military and supported more roles for women in the military.  

Richard was honorably retired from the U. S Air Force as a "First Shirt" on January 1, 1975 at Keesler AFB, Mississippi.

Funeral Services were held at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church in Ocean Springs, MS . Burial was held in Biloxi National Cemetery, with military rites.