About
Vietnam War (1955-1975)
Richard William Rivenburgh was born in Schenectady, New York, on July 14, 1953. It is unclear when Richard and his family relocated to San Diego, California.
On October 11, 1974, Richard enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He went missing during a rescue mission for the crew of the merchant ship S.S. Mayaguez. The S.S. Mayaguez was captured by Khmer Rouge gunboats in the Gulf of Thailand, roughly 60 miles off the coast of Cambodia, in May 1975. The ship was transferred to Koh Tang Island, and on May 15, 1975, the Air Force dispatched 11 helicopters accompanied by troops to secure the island and rescue the Mayaguez crew. The helicopter Richard was aboard was shot down as it approached the island with 26 men on board; half were rescued at sea, leaving 13 missing. He remained missing for 37 years until positively identified in January 2012. On August 6, 2012, fragments of his remains were laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. In his last letter to his family he wrote "Don't get tired of waiting for me."
*CH-53A Helicopter Knife 31
Sources: The Schenectady Gazette, Find A Grave, Ancestry