Alfred C. Richmond
Encyclopedia
Alfred Carroll Richmond (January 18, 1902-March 15, 1984) was a retired United States Coast Guard
admiral
who served as the 11th Commandant
of the United States Coast Guard
from 1954 to 1962, the second longest tenure of any U.S. Coast Guard Commandant.
and moved to Northern Virginia
with his family at the age of ten. After receiving a high school certificate from Massanutten Military Academy
in Woodstock, Virginia
, he entered the College of Engineering at The George Washington University at the age of 16 in 1918 and graduated in 1922, the same year he was appointed as a cadet at the United States Coast Guard Academy
in New London, Connecticut
. While a student at George Washington University, he was employed at the United States Naval Observatory
. Upon graduating from the Academy in 1924, with senior man honors, he was commissioned as an Ensign and served as an aide to Commandant Frederick C. Billard
until 1926, when he was promoted to Lieutenant (junior grade) and appointed to the Coast Guard Academy staff. Prior to World War II
, he also served aboard a Coast Guard cutter in the Arctic
region. During the war, he served as commander of a Coast Guard cutter assigned to convoy duty in the northern Pacific Ocean
, and was later transferred to London
, where he served as senior Coast Guard officer on the command staff of the US Navy forces in Europe
, where he helped coordinate the D-Day invasion. In recognition of his efforts, he received the Bronze Star
for meritorious service.
appointed him as Assistant Commandant of the Coast Guard
with rank of Rear Admiral
. The following year, he was given addition duties as Coast Guard Chief of Staff. He was appointed as Commandant in 1954, succeeding Vice Admiral Merlin O'Neill
. In 1958, he was appointed to a second four-year term as Commandant. Two years later, in 1960, he was promoted to Admiral
under a reorganization law, which required that the Commandant hold the rank of Admiral. In 1961, he became the first recipient of the Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal
.
, where he served as a civil defense
official for a time. His first wife, Gretchen Campbell, with whom he had two sons, John M. Richmond, his first born, and Alfred C. Richmond Jr., died in 1974. Gretchen was privileged to christen the replica Columbia Rediviva in 1958 at the famed Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California. He died of cancer
at the age of 82 in Claremont and is buried alongside her at Arlington National Cemetery
.
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
admiral
Admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, admiral is a four-star flag officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. Admiral ranks above vice admiral and below Fleet Admiral in the Navy; the Coast Guard and the Public Health...
who served as the 11th Commandant
Commandant of the Coast Guard
The Commandant of the United States Coast Guard is the highest ranking member of the United States Coast Guard. The Commandant is normally the only four-star Admiral in the Coast Guard and is appointed for a four-year term by the President of the United States upon confirmation by the United...
of the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
from 1954 to 1962, the second longest tenure of any U.S. Coast Guard Commandant.
Early life and career
Richmond was born in Waterloo, IowaWaterloo, Iowa
Waterloo is a city in and the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the population decreased by 0.5% to 68,406. Waterloo is part of the Waterloo – Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the more populous of the two...
and moved to Northern Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
with his family at the age of ten. After receiving a high school certificate from Massanutten Military Academy
Massanutten Military Academy
Massanutten Military Academy is a coeducational college preparatory school for grades 7 through 12 and one postgraduate year, located in Woodstock, Virginia, United States.-Mission:...
in Woodstock, Virginia
Woodstock, Virginia
Woodstock is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States. It has a population of 5,097 according to the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Shenandoah County....
, he entered the College of Engineering at The George Washington University at the age of 16 in 1918 and graduated in 1922, the same year he was appointed as a cadet at the United States Coast Guard Academy
United States Coast Guard Academy
Founded in 1876, the United States Coast Guard Academy is the military academy of the United States Coast Guard. Located in New London, Connecticut, it is the smallest of the five federal service academies...
in New London, Connecticut
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
. While a student at George Washington University, he was employed at the United States Naval Observatory
United States Naval Observatory
The United States Naval Observatory is one of the oldest scientific agencies in the United States, with a primary mission to produce Positioning, Navigation, and Timing for the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Department of Defense...
. Upon graduating from the Academy in 1924, with senior man honors, he was commissioned as an Ensign and served as an aide to Commandant Frederick C. Billard
Frederick C. Billard
Frederick C. Billard served as the sixth Commandant of the United States Coast Guard from 1924 until his death. He is the only Coast Guard Commandant to die in office....
until 1926, when he was promoted to Lieutenant (junior grade) and appointed to the Coast Guard Academy staff. Prior to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he also served aboard a Coast Guard cutter in the Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
region. During the war, he served as commander of a Coast Guard cutter assigned to convoy duty in the northern Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, and was later transferred to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he served as senior Coast Guard officer on the command staff of the US Navy forces in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, where he helped coordinate the D-Day invasion. In recognition of his efforts, he received the Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
for meritorious service.
Post-World War II career
Following the war, he was assigned to Coast Guard headquarters in Washington, serving as Supply Division Chief, Program Planning Division Chief, Planning and Budgets Division Chief, and Assistant Chief of the Planning and Control Division. In 1950, President Harry S. TrumanHarry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
appointed him as Assistant Commandant of the Coast Guard
Vice Commandant of the United States Coast Guard
The Vice Commandant serves as the second-in-command of the United States Coast Guard.Since 1929, 27 officers have served as Vice Commandant, or, as the position was referred to before 1972, Assistant Commandant. The title of the position was changed effective October 2, 1972, pursuant to P.L....
with rank of Rear Admiral
Rear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
. The following year, he was given addition duties as Coast Guard Chief of Staff. He was appointed as Commandant in 1954, succeeding Vice Admiral Merlin O'Neill
Merlin O'Neill
Merlin O'Neill served as the tenth Commandant of the United States Coast Guard from 1949 to 1954.He was born in Gallia County, Ohio on October 30, 1898. Following graduation from high school in Morgan City, Louisiana, he attended Western Kentucky State Normal School, and the Marion Military...
. In 1958, he was appointed to a second four-year term as Commandant. Two years later, in 1960, he was promoted to Admiral
Admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, admiral is a four-star flag officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. Admiral ranks above vice admiral and below Fleet Admiral in the Navy; the Coast Guard and the Public Health...
under a reorganization law, which required that the Commandant hold the rank of Admiral. In 1961, he became the first recipient of the Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal
Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal
The Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal is a decoration of the United States Coast Guard that was created in August 1949 by order of the United States Congress. Prior to this date, members of the Coast Guard were eligible to receive the Navy Distinguished Service Medal.The Coast Guard...
.
Retirement
Alfred Carroll Richmond retired from the United States Coast Guard on June 1, 1962 and moved to Claremont, CaliforniaClaremont, California
Claremont is a small affluent college town in eastern Los Angeles County, California, United States, about east of downtown Los Angeles at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. The population as of the 2010 census is 34,926. Claremont is known for its seven higher-education institutions, its...
, where he served as a civil defense
Civil defense
Civil defense, civil defence or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state from military attack. It uses the principles of emergency operations: prevention, mitigation, preparation, response, or emergency evacuation, and recovery...
official for a time. His first wife, Gretchen Campbell, with whom he had two sons, John M. Richmond, his first born, and Alfred C. Richmond Jr., died in 1974. Gretchen was privileged to christen the replica Columbia Rediviva in 1958 at the famed Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California. He died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
at the age of 82 in Claremont and is buried alongside her at Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
.