This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Donald Losey (Fallhiker), MM1
to remember
Eastmond, Richard Taylor (Dick), CAPT.
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Contact Info
Last Address Provo
Date of Passing Nov 01, 1981
Location of Interment Buried at Sea, Pacific Ocean
Official Badges
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Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
A highly decorated Navy "ace," Captain Richard Eastmond was born in Provo, Utah, in 1920. He received his "Wings of Gold" and was commissioned an Ensign in 1942. He flew an F6F Hellcat from the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown from December 1943 through August 1944, participating in air battles around Tarawa, The Marianas, Ronin, and the Carolina Islands.
Captain Eastmond led his division to intercept superior numbers of enemy aircraft attempting to strike the Yorktown Task Force. In a matter of minutes he had shot down four enemy aircraft on that single sortie. That mission earned him the Navy Cross. Captain Eastmond was credited with a total of thirteen aerial victories.
He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, three Air Medals, and numerous other service medals. He died in November 1981 at the age of 61 and was buried at sea with full military honors.
