SOUTH PARIS — Colonel Allen “Pete” Pierce Richmond III was named Veteran od the Month at the Maine Veterans’ Home recently.

Richmond was born on Aug. 24, 1921, in Bridgton. He grew up in Hanover, N.H. and New York City. He graduated from Holderness Preparatory School, N.H. and attended the University of New Hampshire.

At college, he joined the ROTC and graduated in 1944 with a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering. Just after graduation he married his college sweetheart, Veva, and enlisted with the Army 43rd Infantry Reserves on July 26, 1944, beginning a career that would span 30 years.

He was a staff officer in the Engineering Division at Fort Belvoir, Va., and was soon transferred to Europe. He was wounded by shrapnel in Germany and received his first Purple Heart. For his service during World War II, Richmond was awarded the Legion of Merit, Army Commendation Medal, American Campaign Medal, European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Army of Occupation Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.

Veva joined the WAVES in 1944 and was on the second troop ship to go back to Germany after victory was declared. They spent their honeymoon in Europe. Richmond continued working in the Engineering Division, becoming the Engineering Liaison to the government of Taiwan during the 1950s.

He went to Vietnam from November 1967 to May 1968 as part of the 27th Engineering Battalion and received his second Purple Heart during that conflict. He received the National Defense Service Medal (1st OLC), Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal w/60 Device and the Meritorious Service Medal.

During the 1960s, he worked on the Titan 2 Missile Silo at Davis Air Force Base. Richmond retired from the service on Jan. 31, 1974, out of Fort Richardson, Alaska.

During this time, Pete and Veva raised three girls and two boys. He continued his engineering career after the Army, working as a mechanical and civil engineer. While in Alaska, he was one of the engineers working on the pipeline. He was ordained as an Episcopal priest in 1974 and served as a hospital chaplain. He loved woodworking, gardening and playing the accordion.

The couple was together for 63 years and are the grandparents of 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Richmond came to the Maine Veterans’ Home in 2006 and loves the music programs, chapel on Sunday and Tuesday mornings and pet visits.

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