Monday, October 14, 2024

Stratford Veteran’s Museum

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Veteran of the Month:  Arthur Henry Riley Jr.

Family of Patriots

When Arthur Henry Riley Jr. graduated from Bunnell High School in 1968, he decided to follow his father’s lead (Arthur Henry Riley Sr. who served during WWII in the Army Air Corp) and enlisted in the Air Force. He attended USAF Tech School in Texas and then was stationed in California for a year before being deployed to Vietnam. 

During WWII, my father, Arthur H. Riley, served in the Army Air Corp, which was the predecessor to the United States Air Force. He was a maintenance officer for airplanes and saw combat in both the Philippines and New Guinea.

When I graduated from Bunnell High School in 1968, I decided to follow my father’s lead and enlisted in the Air Force. I attended USAF Tech School in Texas, and then was stationed in California for a year before being deployed to Vietnam. I was stationed in Vietnam from 1970-71. During this time I served as a Crew Chief on an O2 Aircraft. The O2 was a small four-seater propeller aircraft. My squadron’s mission was forward air control. I was assigned to Bien Hoa Air Base in South Vietnam. After about six months I was reassigned to Pleiku Air Base in the north near the Cambodian border. After returning from Vietnam and fulfilling my Reserve obligations, I was Honorably Discharged. I reenlisted into the Air Force Reserves in 1989 during the first Desert Storm Conflict. In 2009, I was deployed to Bagram Airfield in Afhganistan. I retired from the Air Force in 2010 after 26 years of service. In addition to Vietnam and Afhganistan, I served in Europe, Central America and several locations in the United States.

Keith Martin Riley, Sr., April 6, 1953 – July 8, 2015 A veteran of the United States Army, Keith was stationed in Germany during the final stages of the Vietnam Conflict. Keith was Art Riley’s brother.

To All Veterans:

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