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Started By
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Joseph W. Richard, Louisiana's last Pearl Harbor survivor, has passed away, 100 years old
Posted on 9/29/23 at 1:13 pm
Posted on 9/29/23 at 1:13 pm
Louisiana loses its last Pearl Harbor survivor, a former Baton Rouge resident
quote:
CHURCH POINT - Funeral services are set for Saturday for Joseph W. Richard, Louisiana's last Pearl Harbor survivor, who died Wednesday at the age of 100.
Richard was just 17 years old when he volunteered to join the U.S. Navy. He was on the USS Rigel when Japanese bombers flew over the ship and attacked the Hawaii naval base.
Richard worked frantically to free those trapped inside the wreckage of the USS Oklahoma and USS Arizona.
"It'll make a man out of you," he said of the experience in a 2016 interview. "It made a man out of me... I wasn't no boy no more."
He continued in service to his country, through the Korean War and retiring as a Shipfitter 1st Class after nearly 12 years in the Navy.
Richard then worked at industrial plants in Baton Rouge, and opened a service station on Airline Highway. He returned to his hometown of Sunset, in St. Landry Parish, to run a welding shop and iron ornamental works.
Richard will be remembered during services set to take place at Guidry Funeral Home in Church Point.
This post was edited on 9/29/23 at 1:14 pm
14
Posted on 9/29/23 at 1:21 pm to BilbeauTBaggins
quote:
100 years old
quote:
a former Baton Rouge resident
The secret to a long life in Louisiana
Posted on 9/29/23 at 1:21 pm to BilbeauTBaggins
quote:
He returned to his hometown of Sunset, in St. Landry Parish, to run a welding shop
That was the ol baw that showed Gaucho his first 6010
Posted on 9/29/23 at 1:22 pm to BilbeauTBaggins
The Greatest Generation!
And I mean that.
And I mean that.
This post was edited on 9/29/23 at 2:54 pm
Posted on 9/29/23 at 1:43 pm to BilbeauTBaggins
RIP they don’t make ‘em like that anymore.
Posted on 9/29/23 at 1:44 pm to BilbeauTBaggins
I had the honor to get to know Mr Joe and become friends with him over the past 10 years. Cooked for him and shared many meals- and beers with him at our guy’s night supper and the VFW.
There are no words worthy of describing this man and the honor it was to know him.
Very humble, funny, and sharp as a tack until the day he died.
He would still hit you with a good joke and bust balls with the best of us.
To the day he died, when he told the story of them pulling him off the Arizona, after cutting several men out, while he could still hear knocks from inside the ship, he would tear up.
He never asked for any special attention but I can say that he was properly appreciated in his dying years.
Rest in Peace old friend
There are no words worthy of describing this man and the honor it was to know him.
Very humble, funny, and sharp as a tack until the day he died.
He would still hit you with a good joke and bust balls with the best of us.
To the day he died, when he told the story of them pulling him off the Arizona, after cutting several men out, while he could still hear knocks from inside the ship, he would tear up.
He never asked for any special attention but I can say that he was properly appreciated in his dying years.
Rest in Peace old friend
Posted on 9/29/23 at 1:46 pm to BilbeauTBaggins
The guy has seen so much that he's glad to exit on his own terms.
Rip
Rip
Posted on 9/29/23 at 2:05 pm to BilbeauTBaggins
RIP, Mr Richard...and thanks for all that you did.
Posted on 9/29/23 at 2:10 pm to BilbeauTBaggins
Rest in Peace, shipmate.
Posted on 9/29/23 at 2:12 pm to JackieTreehorn
Exactly they don’t make them like that anymore
Posted on 9/29/23 at 2:29 pm to BilbeauTBaggins
I live close to Church Point, and would gladly attend his memorial if I weren’t going to be out of town, and I’ve never met the man.
That generation of wise old Chiefs is soon to be no longer among us, and the ones coming up will not be able to match effort for the cause they inherited.
That generation of wise old Chiefs is soon to be no longer among us, and the ones coming up will not be able to match effort for the cause they inherited.
Posted on 9/29/23 at 2:29 pm to BilbeauTBaggins
My grandfather was there. He died 5 years ago. He was 95. I miss him dearly.
Posted on 9/29/23 at 2:33 pm to BilbeauTBaggins
He's not the last. I know one in Central LA area. One of the most interesting people I've ever met.
Posted on 9/29/23 at 2:35 pm to BilbeauTBaggins
RIP
I have been thinking about this a lot lately, but in the next 5-10 years we’ll be seeing a lot of articles about this.
Japan Surrendered 78 years ago. i’d you were in the military and 17 you’d be 95 right now and that’s pretty young.
I have been thinking about this a lot lately, but in the next 5-10 years we’ll be seeing a lot of articles about this.
Japan Surrendered 78 years ago. i’d you were in the military and 17 you’d be 95 right now and that’s pretty young.
Posted on 9/29/23 at 2:40 pm to SammyTiger
quote:
Japan Surrendered 78 years ago. i’d you were in the military and 17 you’d be 95 right now and that’s pretty young.
That's why all the efforts to talk to veterans and collect their stories have been so important. It is good to see that expanding to Korea and Vietnam now. While not in as high regard as the ones before for it, those stories should be preserved as well.
Posted on 9/29/23 at 2:44 pm to Quatre Pot
La Pointe De l'Eglisse know his family pretty well. Fair winds and following seas.
This post was edited on 9/29/23 at 2:45 pm
Posted on 9/29/23 at 4:43 pm to BilbeauTBaggins
Posted on 9/29/23 at 5:34 pm to 4WHLN
May he Rest In Peace
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