Navy veteran Richard Stroud honored at 99
Blue Angels pilot recalls harrowing missions, decades of service.
Editor’s note: This article is part of We the People, a series marking the upcoming 250th birthday of the United States of America by Gray Media, parent company of WANF Atlanta News First.
ACWORTH, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — At 99 years old, Navy veteran Richard Stroud’s memories of military service remain as sharp as the day he lived them more than 80 years ago.
Stroud, who enlisted at just 17, served 17 years in the military and experienced what few sailors ever will. “I went into the Navy when I was 17. I was a member of the Navy Blue Angels,” Stroud said. “Done a lot of things. I made 1,143 take offs and landings without having an accident.”
His service included dangerous night reconnaissance missions searching for Russian submarines. “Due to my experience I flew at night. I take off for eight hours looking for Russian submarines. Then I would have to come back and find the carrier,” he said.
One mission nearly cost him his life when he found himself in the middle of a Category 4 hurricane with 140 mph winds and 40-foot waves. “With the help of my guardian angel, we made six passes. The deck was not level enough to land on. Seventh pass, it was level and I landed it safely,” Stroud recalled.
Lieutenant Junior Grade Stroud has called Georgia home for several decades and maintains an active social life. He regularly enjoys lunch at Chick-fil-A, where he’s become part of a close-knit group.
“I’m a member of the First Baptist Church. Anywhere from 8-10 old timers there gives us free [meals] and free drinks and free cookies, and tell old stories,” Stroud said.
One of Stroud’s longtime friends says she lost contact with him for many years, until they both ended up at the same assisted living facility in Acworth. “He’s been blessed to survive and still be here,” she said. “God has a plan for each one of us. We need to honor him.”
Download our Atlanta News First app for your latest news and information.
Atlanta News First podcasts are available now on:Spotify|Apple Podcasts |Amazon Music|YouTube
Copyright 2025 WANF. All rights reserved.
