First time around he was one of us - a member of the 341st Aviation Detachment. Rick served with us from June of 1969 to June,
1970. He was a GCA specialist, attained the rank of Spec. 5, and was one of the greatest of his generation, as were all who
served in Vietnam. He was truly a hero in his day!
But the heart of a hero continued to beat in Richard's chest. On February 14, 1994, he was awakened in the early morning hours
by someone beating on a window of the place he was staying. The mobile home, owned by his brother and sister-in-law, was on fire. Rick
first made sure that his niece escaped, then, rather than escaping himself, went looking for the other family members to alert
them to the danger. They got out, but Rick didn't. He died making the effort to save others. For his bravery, he was awarded
the National Hero of the Year award by the United States Postal Service. Read about the award here . We of
the 341st Aviation Detachment celebrate the life and heroism of Richard E. Lemaster - Twice a Hero!
