Tyndall mourns Tuskegee Airman passing

  • Published
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Two months ago, he brought laughter and pride to Tyndall Airmen's hearts.

Retired Chief Master Sergeant Walt Richardson, Tuskegee Airman and 2013 Tyndall Annual Award Guest Speaker, crossed into the blue one last time March 29.

"The Checkertails and all of Team Tyndall are saddened by this Air Force loss," said Col. David E. Graff, 325th Fighter Wing commander. "We will be eternally grateful for the time Chief Richardson took to share his Air Force story to our Airmen, thus keeping his memory and lessons alive."

Chief Richardson joined the military in 1949 and served in the Tuskegee Airmen, an Army Air Corps program that trained African Americans to fly and maintain combat aircraft. Later in his career, he served as an aircraft mechanic at Eglin Air Force Base before retiring from Hulburt Field, according to an Team Eglin Public Affairs article.