Admiral Alfred Carroll Richmond USCG

Admiral Alfred Carroll Richmond USCG. He was born on January 18, 1902 in Waterloo, Iowa and moved to Cherrydale, Virginia with his family when he was 10. After graduating from high school at Massanutten Military Academy in Woodstock, Virginia, he entered the College of Engineering at George Washington University at the age of 16.  He graduated in 1922, and was appointed as a cadet at the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut.

In May 1941, Richmond was transferred to the Bethlehem Shipbuilding yard at Baltimore, Maryland to supervise the outfitting of the new Coast Guard training vessel American Sailor which was to be used for the training of U.S. Maritime Service personnel. He became the commanding officer when American Sailor was commissioned on July 22, 1941 and sailed her to the Maritime Service Training Station at Port Hueneme, California where he also assumed command of the school in February 1942. Richmond was promoted to commander on July 17, 1942 while stationed at Port Hueneme. With the termination of Coast Guard control of Maritime Service ships on September 1, 1942, he received orders to report aboard the Haida as the commanding officer where he was responsible for convoy escort duty for ships taking troops and cargo to Alaska. Richmond was promoted to captain June 1, 1943 and in July was transferred to London, England. He was the Senior Coast Guard Officer in charge of the Merchant Marine Hearing Unit where he was responsible for administering and enforcing laws relating to the functions of Coast Guard vessels and personnel. He was also the hearing officer for accidents and casualties involving U.S. naval forces vessels and personnel in Europe. As the senior Coast Guard officer on the staff of the Commander, U.S. Naval Forces in Europe he assisted in the organizing of Coast Guard assets used during Operation Overlord. For his part in planning the invasion, he received the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service. The French government awarded him the Croix de Guerre “for exceptional services rendered in the liberation of France.

In his post war service he was also awarded the Legion of Merit, and he was the first person to be awarded the Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal. On March 10, 1950 he was promoted to Rear Admiral, on June 1, 1954 he was promoted to Vice Admiral, and on June 1, 1960 he was promoted to Admiral. He died on March 15, 1984, at the age of 82