Major Richard Melvin Miles USAF (RET)'s Obituary
Richard Melvin Miles, USAF (RET) passed away January 23, 2025 at the age of 92. He was born February 25, 1932 in Bowling Green, Ohio to his parents Stuart D. and Elsie M. (Landis) Miles. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 72 years Joan Woods Miles, his daughter Terry Jo Smith, and his step-mother Beatrice Irene Carlson.
Richard is survived by his daughter Melody (Stephen) Miller, his son Steven (Sara) Miles, and son-in-law Rodney Smith, as well as twelve grandchildren and many great-grandchildren.
Richard Miles served in the United States Air Force for 20 years rising to the rank of Major. He enlisted in 1950. He had a varied career – He served in the U.S., was stationed in Okinawa during the Korean War, served at a missile site in Montana, flew Boeing B-47E and Boeing B-52C, and served a year in Vietnam as a Forward Air Controller. In 1966 he moved to Delaware where he flew the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter. He served as a C-141 Aircraft Commander and was then promoted to Squadron Instructor and Pilot Flight Examiner in the C-141 Aircraft at Dover Air Force Base. He flew many missions in the Atlantic, European, Asian, African, and Pacific theaters of operations. He even flew a mission into Russia. On June 30, 1970 Maj. Richard Miles retired from the USAF.
During his service in the United States Air Force, he received many awards including the Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, the Air Medal with 17 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Air Force Commendation Medal.
After retiring from the USAF, he opened his own TV repair business. In 1981 he moved to New York and bought a small farm where he raised beef cattle. From 1983 to 1986, while in New York, he was employed as the Chief Pilot for Fairbank Farms Corporation. Later he was employed by Flight Safety in Delaware as a flight instructor.
He was very involved in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Jamestown, NY. He had many callings in the local leadership but his favorite was working with the youth and family history. After moving to Florida in 1996 he served as a Temple Ordinance worker at the Orlando Temple from August 1996 to September 2015. He also served as a Temple and Family History Consultant in the Leesburg Ward.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Tunnel to Towers (T2T.org), The Wounded Warriors Project, or Paws for Purple Hearts.
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