Former Korean War POW
Colonel William "Bill" J. Richardson, Army (Ret.)

We are pleased to have Mr. Bill Richardson joining us as our guest speaker this year. We first had a Navy POW for our park dedication, an Army Air Corps pilot for our World War II POW dedication, and now an Army Infantryman as our speaker for the Korean War POW dedication.

Mr Richardson's survival as a Korean War POW for 34 months is a tribute to his character and his service to our country. Mr. Richardson was a master sergeant with the 8th Regiment of the 1st Cavalry Division in the 8th Army in Korea. As a part of the United Nations Command forces pushing the North Koreans back across the 38th parallel in late 1950, Mr. Richardson was in one of the first units hit by the Communist Chinese counter-offensive into North Korea on Nov. 1.

Cut off and surrounded, his unit broke out in small groups. After being captured by Chinese forces, he escaped, but was captured again the next day, November 5th 1950, in Unsan, North Korea. His strife was typical of the men of the 1st Calvary’s 8th Regiment, who saw their unit cease to exist by Nov. 6th. As a prisoner at Camp 5, Pyokton, North Korea, on the Manchurian border, Mr. Richardson, who was already wounded, was hurt working outside the camp. Slowly his legs started to grow stiff, and soon he was paralyzed. After several harrowing experiences in the camp’s so called medical facility, he hobbled out of the facility on crutches and two year’s later, walked out of the prison camp.

Mr. Richardson remained in the service after the war and was commissioned as an officer. Along with his many military decorations, he served eight years with the 82nd Airborne Division and commanded the 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry. He spent seven years with Special Forces, serving as a Special Forces A Detachment commander with White Star in Laos. He also commanded an A Detachment assigned to the Cuban Missile Crisis, and twice commanded Project Delta in Vietnam. Among his other assignments, Mr. Richardson served two years in Iran as chief of staff, Army Section, served as the assistant chief of staff for Operations, 18th Airborne Corps and commanded the 1st Corps Support Command.

Included in his military decorations are:

• The Distinguished Service Medal
• Two Purple Hearts
• Five Bronze Star Medals, three for Valor
• Two Air medals
• Two awards of the Combat Infantrymans Badge
• Master Parachute Badge
• Vietnam Honor Medal
• Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm

He retired in 1985 after 39 plus years of service and is currently the CEO of Richardson & Sons Construction, Inc. But his career did not end after his military service. His loyalty and support for military and veteran groups continues as an active leader who now serves as the National Director of American EX-Prisoners of War and who recently served as the president of the 1st Cavalry Division Association. He also participates in a number of state and local veteran organizations.

He and his wife Claire have been married for 53 years and have 5 children. They live in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and he still shares his POW experiences with future Special Forces students at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. To learn more about Mr. Richardson, click here.