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<em>Richard Henry Carmichael </em>was born on the family farm in Hill County, Texas on 11 April 1913, the son of Horace and Fay Carmichael. After his father s return from Europe as a captain in the American Expeditionary Force, young Richard and his brothers spent their early years in the towns of the emerging Texas oil fields. The family later settled in San Antonio where Richard graduated from Main Avenue High School and then attended the West Point Preparatory School at Fort Sam Houston. Winning a competitive appointment to the Academy through the Texas National Guard, Richard entered in the summer of 1932, graduating with his Class in 1936 as the captain of “M” Company.</p>
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On graduation, Dick chose the Air Corps. His favorite uncle had been an early pilot and Texas barnstormer, and Dick returned to his native state to win his wings at Randolph and Kelly Fields. On his way to his first assignment in Hawaii, he went back to New York to marry Muriel Wright, to whom he had been engaged since cadet days. Following his tour in the Islands, and in the time preceding Pearl Harbor, he served at Hamilton Field and at Fort Douglas, Utah.</div>
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On the day the war started, Dick was on his way to the Philippines with his squadron of B-17 Flying Fortresses. He arrived at Pearl Harbor in the midst of the Japanese attack, landing fortuitously at a remote flying field known to him from his earlier service at Wheeler Field. Dick went on to the South Pacific to participate in General MacArthur’s evacuation from the Philippines and to command the 19th Bombardment Group in the early Pacific campaigns. Later he was to become a Japanese prisoner of war, shot down while leading the first daylight Superfortress attack against the Japanese homeland.</div>
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Following the war years, Dick had an outstanding career in the Strategic Air Command and as the Commander of the Far East Bomber Command during the Korean War. After tours of duty on the Air Staff in the Pentagon, he finished a distinguished career as the Commandant of the Air War College.</div>
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Throughout his career, Dick Carmichael was an inspirational example to his peers and to all of those he was destined to lead. Among those who won their wings in the old Army Air Corps, Dick was a flying commander who personally led his men where the going was the toughest. As he moved up the promotion ladder, he was an airman’s general dedicated to the mission and to the morale and welfare of his men. His decorations included the Distinguished Service Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Silver Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Legion of Merit with four Oak Leaf Clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, four Air Medals, and the British Distinguished Flying Cross.</div>
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Dick never waivered in his love and support of Muriel and their four sons, to whom he was a constant friend, counselor, and guiding hand. His parents and his brothers always felt his concern, understanding, and generosity.</div>
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His sudden death left all of his friends with a deep and abiding sense of irreplaceable loss.</div>
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<em>—A Classmate</em></div>
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