About
Richard William Starkey, the son of Neal and Dorothy Starkey, was born on August 31, 1947, in Schenectady, New York. He graduated from Niskayuna High School in 1965 and attended the University of Nebraska. Richard was employed by the General Electric Company.
On February 24, 1969, Richard enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He held the rank of Private First Class and served with Company L, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division. On August 23, 1969, Richard arrived in Vietnam. During Operation Idaho Canyon, on September 17, 1969, Company L was attacked by the North Vietnamese Army close to Hill 154. An enemy grenade's fragmentation wounds caused Richard's death. During that combat, Company L lost sixteen men and sustained numerous injuries. Richard is buried in the Florence National Cemetery, South Carolina.
Sources: The Schenectady Gazette, Find A Grave, Ancestry