Interviewed by:

Christopher Brown and Lawrence Scaglione

"Well, I suppose putting people you knew or people you're training against in a
body bag when they’re dead. You’re training and living with people for days, weeks, months
and all of a sudden they aren’t there anymore. They are right beside you and without going into gruesome details it is quite a thing to put people or try to administer first aid and you know you can’t help them because the wound is mortal so it makes you appreciate life a lot more every second of it."

~ Mr. Kmiec (28:59)

Richard Kmiec's Story:

Richard H. Kmiec was born on March 18, 1944. His rank was a staff sergeant E6. He enlisted in the Marines and valiantly fought from 1966 to 1968 until he was wounded.

Mr. Kmiec was hit by an artillery round and was awarded two medals for his courageous actions. He gave medical attention to his comrades before giving himself medical attention. He received two awards, the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star.

After being wounded he was transferred to Hawaii for rehabilitation from a broken eardrum and fused ankles. Later he was transferred home to Boston Massachusetts and participated in skeet shooting and outdoor activities and won several national and state skeet shooting awards.

Today Richard Kmiec is retired and resides in Eastham, Massachusetts.