RICHTER, Karl W.
Class of 1964
1st Lieutenant Richter was killed on 28 July 1967 as a pilot of Unit 338th TFW
Korat, Thailand on a combat mission in North Vietnam. He was the lead of two F-105
aircrafts and was forced to eject when his plane was struck by ground fire after
completing a bomb run. His parachute may have snagged on something--it is uncertain
what exactly happened--but the parachute collapsed and he fell onto the rocks. Richter
was unconscious when the rescue team picked him up and was pronounced dead (from
head trauma) upon arrival to the medical facility.
Richter was one of the best AF pilots and after his first 100 missions in Vietnam,
he volunteered for a second hundred. It was approved (he was the only pilot approved
for a consecutive tour), but a third hundred would not be and so when he got to mission
#198, Richter stopped logging them, so it is unknown how many missions he really flew.
In fact, he flew more missions over North Vietnam than any other USAF pilot. He was
also the youngest (23) US pilot (and the third Thunderchief plane) to destroy a MIG
plane. He is the only 1st Lt. on record to have acted as Mission Commander for a raid
against significant targets in the heavily defended Hanoi area and he participated in
strikes against every major target complex north of the 17th parallel.
Even after flight training, he was given the honor of highflying an F-105 across
the Pacific to Southeast Asia--an honor rarely given to 1st Lieutenants.
Richter flew many other hazardous missions, facing enemy fire, bad weather, and
MIGs. He dubbed his combat missions, a “sort of a PhD in professional weapons.” He
hoped to fly F-100s on in-country missions and then serve as an FAC covering tactical air
combat after Vietnam.
Richter’s military decorations include the Air Force Cross, the Silver Star, four
Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Bronze Star, twenty-two Air Medals, the Purple Heart,
the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, and the Air Force Commendation Medal. He
was also awarded posthumously the 1969 Jabara Award for Airmanship. A bronze statue
of him was built at Air University, a 120-man BOQ at Craig AFB was named and
dedicated to him, a lounge with a snack bar at Arnold Hall was changed from the
“Cockpit Lounge” to “Richter Lounge,” a VFW post at Korat, Thailand was renamed the
“Karl W. Richter Memorial Post,” and an F-105 Thunderchief bomber was put together
from 10 damaged airplanes in his memory, to name a few of the memorials for him.
There is even a Richter scholarship now that puts an Academy-bound candidate through a
year of Prep School. His name is also on the USAFA War Memorial. It is obvious that
Richter not only was willing to sacrifice, but he did it with pride and enthusiasm. He
believed in the cause and defended it with courage, dedication, professionalism, and
without reservations. His example is something for all USAF pilots and officers to strive
after.
Narrative compiled by Heather Beer, Association of Graduates intern, Summer 2005