AUGUSTA —  The Maine Health Care Association recently honored the accomplishments of 36 people living in the state’s long-term care facilities, including Allen Pierce Richmond III, who resides at Maine Veterans’ Home, South Paris.

The association presented them with Certificates of Lifetime Achievement during a ceremony held in the Hall of Flags at the State House. Brenda Harvey, commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services, offered opening remarks at the eighth annual event and photography exhibit, entitled “Remember ME,” which featured the black and white photographs and biographies of the citizens.

Richmond was honored for his service to country during World War II and the Vietnam War that earned him two purple hearts.

Allen “Pete” Richmond was born in Hanover, N.H., on Aug. 24, 1921. He graduated from Holderness Preparatory School and the University of New Hampshire. While in college, he joined the ROTC. After graduating in 1944 with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering, Richmond married his college sweetheart, Veva, and enlisted with the Army 43rd Infantry Reserves.

On July 26, 1944, he began his military career that would span 30 years. As an Army engineer staff officer, he was stationed in Virginia, New York, Arizona, Taiwan, Alaska, Germany and Vietnam. Nearly 15 years of his service was in foreign countries or overseas. In 1944, while in Germany serving as a lieutenant in charge of a segregated construction unit, he was wounded by shrapnel during combat. For this, he would receive his first Purple Heart.

At the end of World War II, Richmond gave testimony that helped the Army decide to desegregate, an action he has always been proud of. He was an engineering liaison between the military and the government of Taiwan in 1957 and a liaison between the military and Fluor Corporation, the international firm of contractors building the Titan II missile silo from 1960-62. During the Cuban missile crisis in 1962, his family was one of the few not evacuated from the base in Tucson.

He served as part of the 27th Engineering Battalion in Vietnam where he received his second Purple Heart. Richmond retired on Jan. 31, 1974, out of Fort Richardson, Ala. He also received the Legion of Merit, Army Commendation Medal, five overseas service bars, various Campaign and Service medals, the World War II Victory Medal and others.

After his retirement, Richmond worked for Fluor on the Alaskan pipeline in Fairbanks and was ordained as an Episcopal priest in 1974. He worked in an Episcopal church and provided hospital chaplaincy services. In Anchorage, he felt privileged to work with Native Americans.

The Richmonds retired to Bridgton in 1998 to the home that his great-great-great-grandfather built. He designed and built an addition to upgrade the home with electricity and running water. The couple was together 63 years and raised five children. They have 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

He hiked, fished, boated, panned for gold, hunted, repaired cars, played the accordion, gardened, made wooden toys for his grandchildren and especially liked big game fishing in Alaska. 

At the facility, Richmond, now 88, continues to enjoy spending time with his family, attending music programs, going on rides and attending church.