General Carey Passed Away

General Carey Passed Away

Services for General Carey will be held on 5 May 2025.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. at Prestonwood Baptist Church 6800 West Park Blvd., Plano, TX 75093.

Burial with full military honors will be held at 1:30 p.m. at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery 2000 Mountain Creek Parkway, Dallas, TX 75211.

Lieutenant General Richard E. Carey died at 9:30 a.m. (Dallas time) on 25 April 2025. Details about funeral arrangements will follow.

GENERAL CAREY’S BACKGROUND

Born in Columbus, OH in 1928, Carey was a student athlete at West High School and began military service shortly after high school graduation in 1945.

At 20, Carey earned a commission. He participated in the Inchon Landing in Korea. Carey dodged death seven times and was badly wounded. Carey earned the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart Medals in Korea. After recuperating, Carey won a slot in flight training and earned his fighter pilot wings.

Flying fighter jets and helicopters, Carey flew 10,000 hours.  Carey trained pilots for Vietnam before going there between 1967 and 1968. In Vietnam, Carey earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and 16 Air Medals.

Returning to the United States, Carey was assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps.  Carey then completed his bachelor’s degree from George Washington University and earned a promotion to full colonel.

Subsequently, Carey went to Hawaii and Japan rising to brigadier general.  In 1975, Carey led the evacuation of Vietnamese citizens from Saigon.  Some 100,000 refugees were rescued through Carey’s leadership.

After the evacuation, Carey earned a promotion to major general and commanded the 2^nd Marine Air Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, NC. From there he moved to the Atlantic Command in Virginia. In 1980, Carey was promoted to lieutenant general. He commanded Marine Corps Base, Quantico, VA and retired in 1983 after 38 years of service.