| Unit | 38th Air Rescue and Recovery Squadron |
|---|---|
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel U.S. Air Force |
| Entered Service From | Delmar New York |
| Date of Death | February 6 1967 |
| Status | Recovered |
| Memorialized |
Courts of the Missing
Court
A
Honolulu Memorial |
Lt. Col. Richard A. Kibbey was a member of the 38th Air Rescue and Recovery Squadron. On February 6, 1967, he was the co-pilot of a Sikorsky Sea King Search and Rescue Helicopter (HH-3E) trying to extract a downed American pilot 5 miles from Mu Gia Pass near the border of Laos and North Vietnam. Once the pilot was aboard the helicopter took off and was hit by ground fire causing it to explode and crash. His remains were not recovered at the time. Through the work of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, the remains of Lt. Col. Kibbey were accounted for in 2018. His name is permanently inscribed in the “Courts of the Missing” at the Honolulu Memorial
