Inland GI Dies in Firefight

11:44 PM PDT on Wednesday, April 6, 2005

By JOE VARGO / The Press-Enterprise

MORENO VALLEY - Army Sgt. William Dean Richardson so fretted about the new guys in his squad that he couldn't wait to rejoin them when the outfit returned to Iraq for a second tour of duty.

Most of Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, went back to Iraq in January and February, but Richardson stayed on in the United States completing sniper training at Fort Benning, Ga.

In conversations with family members, though, his thoughts always returned to the first-time soldiers, the guys who'd never seen combat and who might take needless chances on the battlefield.

Richardson, 23, returned to Iraq on March 15. He died Sunday protecting his men.

"He's my hero," said Greg Richardson, his older brother, from the family's home north of Highway 60. "He was my best friend. I'm three years older but I always considered him by little big brother. He was someone I looked up to and idolized."

Richardson's outgunned squad came under heavy attack as they sought out insurgents during a daylight search-and-destroy mission in Baghdad, the military told his family Monday.

After firing all his ammunition and buying time for his buddies to scramble to safety, relatives said, Richardson fell into a canal while running for cover and drowned. Army officials told the family he suffered a head wound but they didn't know if that was from enemy fire or from falling into the concrete-lined waterway.

Richardson's actions helped save the lives of two men who were caught in the open when the enemy struck with small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades, his father, William Richardson, learned later.

The two squad-mates jumped into the swift-moving canal and were pulled to safety. Richardson dived in as well, but weighed down by his gear and possible combat injuries, never resurfaced. His body was recovered hours later.

Richardson's first name was William, but everybody knew him by his middle name, Dean. He was born July 28, 1981, and grew up in Moreno Valley, graduating from Moreno Valley High School in 2000. He grappled on the Vikings wrestling squad and played linebacker on the football team.

He was a small guy, maybe 150 or 160 pounds, but a ferocious tackler, said former teammate Dan Ganczak. He earned Player of the Week honors in October 1999 and bench-pressed 385 pounds.

"He was an animal," said Ganczak, 24, who played left guard on the football team. "He filled the other team with terror. I'm 6-foot, 3-inches tall and 300 pounds, but his heart was much bigger than mine."

After graduation, Richardson went to work with his brother, Greg, as an electrician, earning good money and traveling throughout California working on commercial jobs.

But Sept. 11 changed everything, Greg Richardson said.

"It lit a fire in his soul," he said. "He couldn't stop talking about it. He wanted to make things right."

His mother, Karen Richardson, 50, said Richardson spoke to a recruiter four days after the attack.

Richardson enlisted in February 2002 and underwent infantry and airborne training. He married his childhood sweetheart, Teara, after boot camp. He was stationed at Fort Riley, Kan. During his first tour in Iraq, Richardson fought alongside members of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions right into the heart of Baghdad.

In April 2004, Richardson returned home after 14 months in combat. He went back to being a kid, snowboarding, kneeboarding and water skiing. He told family members he didn't really understand all the reasons for the war but was determined to do the best he could.

The family was enjoying a vacation at Lake Havasu when an Army detail tracked them down at a campsite about 2 p.m. Monday with the word Dean Richardson died in combat.

The Army told Richardson's family he will receive the Purple Heart for battlefield wounds and the Bronze Star, which is awarded for combat valor.

Funeral services were pending late Wednesday. Richardson will be interred at Riverside National Cemetery. Besides his wife, parents and older brother, Richardson is survived by a sister, April, 20, and a brother, Kyle, 15.

Services, burial set for Inland soldier
01:34 AM PDT on Tuesday, April 12, 2005

The Press-Enterprise

MORENO VALLEY - Funeral services for Army Sgt. William Dean Richardson, who died last week fighting in Iraq, are scheduled for Friday, with burial in Riverside National Cemetery.

Richardson, 23, a squad leader from Moreno Valley, was leading a small group of soldiers when they came under heavy attack while on a mission near a canal in Baghdad.

Several Americans were caught in the open when insurgents fired small arms and rocket-propelled grenades at them.

Battlefield accounts said Richardson fired until he ran out of ammunition, allowing two squad-mates to make it to safety.

He drowned when he dived into the canal for cover.

Military officials said he had a head wound but were uncertain if that resulted from enemy action or when he jumped into the concrete-lined waterway.

A viewing will take place between 4 and 8 p.m. Thursday at Miller-Jones mortuary, 23618 Sunnymead Blvd. in Moreno Valley. Services will be held at noon Friday at the funeral home. A graveside service will be held at Riverside National Cemetery at 1:30 p.m.

Task Force Baghdad pays last respects to warrior

By Sgt. Kevin Bromley
3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division PAO

MAHMUDIYAH, Iraq – The sound of “Taps” and rifle volleys echoed in the cavernous building as Soldiers of Company A, 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, 70th Armored Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division bid farewell to Cpl. William Dean Richardson April 8.

Richardson was killed April 3 while conducting dismounted combat operations along the CiCi Bar Canal, in the north Babil area of Iraq.

He was the point man of a squad tasked to gain intelligence about the enemy in the area of West Said Abdullah near the village of Mulla Fayad.

His patrol was ambushed by terrorists and received heavy fire from automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades.

“His squad members will tell you that Dean saw and sensed the attack before it happened,” said Lt. Col. Lee Quintas, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 70th Armored Regiment.

Richardson laid down suppressive fire with his M4 Carbine and M203 Grenade Launcher to allow his fellow Soldiers time to seek covered firing positions.

“I am convinced that the fire he provided saved the lives of his squad and saved the Soldiers he loved as brothers,” said Quintas.

The volume of enemy fire caused Richardson and two other members of the squad to seek a covered firing position in the CiCi Bar Canal.

The steep banks of the concrete canal caused them to lose their footing and slide into the water. As the battle ensued, the three Soldiers were swept away by the strong current.

Sgt. Cory Scott, the squad leader, noticed the Soldiers struggling to stay afloat in the canal. Scott used belts and a radio antenna to retrieve two of his teammates from the murky waters while the patrol was still in contact with the enemy.

The squad consolidated after the battle and a search for Richardson was immediately conducted by Scott and his troops.

“His pounding of the enemy with his 203 and M4 on that day helped to save the lives of all the guys he was out with,” said Sgt. Howard Midgely.

At the memorial service, Richardson was remembered as a man who lived the way of the warrior.

“Dean was never a man of many words…but these words he lived by, duty, honor, loyalty, and professionalism,” said Quintas.

Richardson is sorely missed by the Soldiers of Task Force 2-70 and he is remembered for his physical and mental toughness as well as his sense of humor.

“We not only lost a great Soldier, but an unforgettable friend,” said Staff Sgt. Daniel Vallenavedo.

“Cpl. Richardson’s actions, helped save the lives of his squad,” said Col. David Bishop, commander of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division. “He lived the ‘Warrior Ethos’ and valiantly died in the service of his country.”

Quintas vowed that Task Force 2-70 would carry on Richardson’s fight, saying, “We will move towards the sound of the guns, as we always have.”

The way the Soldiers and command team felt about the fallen warrior was best summed up by Quintas when he said, “My thoughts of him always come with a deep feeling of pride for having him as a member of our team.”

Richardson, a resident of Moreno, Calif., joined the Army Feb. 26, 2002, and served as an automatic rifleman with 1-41 Infantry. His awards and decorations included the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal (2nd award), the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Combat Infantry Badge, and the Parachutist Badge.

THIS STORY HAS ACCOMPANYING PHOTOGRAPHS. TO RECEIVE THE PHOTOS, E-MAIL THE CPIC PRESS DESK AT CPICPRESSDESK@BAGHDADFORUM.COM.

CUTLINES


Richardson Helmet

MAHMUDIYAH, Iraq – A Kevlar and M-16 rifle belonging to Cpl. William D. Richardson memorializes the fallen Soldier. The Soldiers of A Company, 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, 70th Armored Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division bid farewell to Richardson April 8. Richardson was killed April 3 while conducting dismounted combat operations along the CiCi Bar Canal in the north Babil area of Iraq.

21 Gun Salute

MAHMUDIYAH, Iraq – An Honor Guard fires a 21-gun salute at a memorial service April 8 for Cpl. William D. Richardson from A Company, 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, 70th Armored Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division. Richardson was killed April 3 while conducting dismounted combat operations along the CiCi Bar Canal in the north Babil area of Iraq.

Text for release and opsec review provided by the 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs Office. For contact 3 ID PAO at Michelle.dodge@id3.army.mil.


Release #050412b

Yo. Your always with us Brother. Love Ya.

'He had a never-quit attitude'

Moreno Valley resident was killed on duty in Iraq

12:39 AM PDT on Saturday, April 16, 2005

By JOE VARGO / The Press-Enterprise

RIVERSIDE - Army Sgt. William Dean Richardson was remembered Friday as a dedicated and focused soldier who in the months before he died under fire proved himself an outstanding leader of combat troops.

Sgt. Richardson, 23, was buried with full military honors in Riverside National Cemetery in a service that drew more than 300 mourners.

"Our family has been overwhelmed by all the community support," said Sgt. Richardson's 26-year-old brother, Greg.

"It's a lot more than we ever expected. This proves to everybody, myself included, how much people appreciated him and his sacrifice. This is a tough time for all of us right now, but if he were alive, he would say, 'Don't mourn my death. Celebrate my life.' "

Members of Sgt. Richardson's Army outfit -- Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division -- attended the service. Some struggled to maintain their composure.

A bugler played taps and a bagpiper played "Amazing Grace."

A three-volley rifle salute, fired by members of the honor guard from the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, punctuated the ceremony. Family members were presented Sgt. Richardson's Purple Heart, awarded for combat injuries.

They were also handed the Bronze Star, awarded to Sgt. Richardson for meritorious service. His wife, Teara, and mother, Karen, received folded American flags.

Navy chaplain and family friend Quinn Hawley said Sgt. Richardson joins a long line of Americans whose determination has ensured the country's liberty over four centuries.

"Our freedoms, our history is a gift from all those who have given their all," Hawley said. "We owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude. Our freedoms have been paid for by their blood and sacrifice and eternal vigilance."

Sgt. Richardson, who was known to everyone as Dean, grew up in Moreno Valley and played football and wrestled at Moreno Valley High School, where he graduated in 2000.

He was a squad leader when he was killed April 3 in Baghdad during his second tour of duty in Iraq.

He was walking in front of his men when they came under intense fire from small arms and rocket-propelled grenades as they pressed forward on a search-and-destroy mission.

Battle reports indicate Sgt. Richardson fired four rounds from his grenade launcher and emptied his M-60 machine gun, covering two squad members as they withdrew to safety. He dived for cover in a canal, but weighted down with all his gear, never resurfaced. He suffered head injuries and drowned.

One of Sgt. Richardson's commanders, Capt. Michael Russell, called him a soldier destined for great things. He was being groomed for leadership and took great care for the men under his direction. Russell said Sgt. Richardson would have excelled in any mission or duty. He had already completed airborne training and could have become an elite Army Ranger, Russell said.

"He had a never-quit attitude," Russell said. "He was very focused. He was a great soldier."

Sgt. Richardson became the 25th soldier killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom buried in Riverside National Cemetery. Four veterans of the first Gulf War and one victim of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks also are buried in the cemetery.

Reach Joe Vargo at (951) 567-2407 or jvargo@pe.com

PHOTO CAPTION:
Ed Crisostomo / The Press-Enterprise
Karen and William Richardson embrace Friday by the casket of their son, Sgt. William Dean Richardson. The Richardsons were presented with their son's Purple Heart and Bronze Star.

It has been more than seven years since I lost my brother-in-arms and I remember them all every day. I will never forget. I will forever honor them in memory.