Luther H. Richmond

RICHMOND, LUTHER H. (Age 87)

Of Tampa, FL, died June 27, 2003 of cancer. He was born in Chicopee, Massachusetts, settling in Tampa, Florida in 1966. His first wife, Jean Gaines Richmond, died in 1977. Survivors include his second wife, Doris Phelps Richmond; daughter, Ann Dulevitz, Houston, TX; sons, Luther Richmond, Jr., McLean, VA, and Colonel John Richmond, Fort Knox, KY; 9 grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Flying was his lifelong ambition and he became a pilot at age 19. In 1938, he entered the Army Air Corps in San Antonio, TX, where he met Jean Gaines, his future wife of 38 years. In 1943, he assumed command of the 486th Fighter Squadron, which deployed to Bodney Air Base, England as a unit in the 352nd Fighter Group, the famous "Blue Nosed Bastards of Bodney." On his 67th combat mission, as a Lt. Colonel, he was shot down by flak on April 15th, 1944, during fierce aerial combat over Germany. He was a POW in Stalag Luft I in Barth, Germany for the next 13 months. Following WWII, Luther held many positions of great responsibility in the US Air Force. Ironically, in 1955 he served as the first chief of the Air Force Military Assistance Advisory Group in Bonn, Germany, tasked to help rebuild the Luftwaffe. He retired as a Major General at MacDill AFB, Tampa, in 1970 after serving as the Chief of Plans and Operations at US Strike Command. Luther was qualified in 76 aircraft from the P-12 to the F4 Phantom jet and had over 6000 hours of flight time, primarily in single seat fighters. The recipient of numerous awards and decorations for valor, he was referred to by his peers and in books about the 8th Air Force as "that fighter pilot's fighter pilot." He was admired and respected by all who knew him for his courage, devotion to duty, unflagging integrity, and kindness. Following retirement, he and Jean devoted themselves to yachting, becoming familiar figures at the Tampa Yacht and Country Club. They made numerous round trip voyages on the Intracoastal Waterway until Jean's death from cancer. Until his death, Luther was an active member of the 352nd FG Association; its many surviving members, who remember him for his quiet leadership and dry humor, will sadly miss him. He will be interred at Arlington Cemetery on September 18 at 3 p.m. A memorial reception will be held at the Lillian Court Clubhouse, 1635 International Dr., McLean following the funeral service. Flowers are accepted, but donations to cancer research are preferred.