Captain Richard D. Gless

Captain Richard D. Gless, USN (Ret.) passed away peacefully Sunday, August 15, 2010 at his home in Frederick, MD. Surviving are his wife Jeanne and two sons and their wives, Richard, Jr. and Janet of Oakland, CA, Michael and Desiree, of Highlands Ranch, CO, and three grandchildren, Monique Renee, Derek Michael, and James August Gless. One Brother, George Gless, of Fort Collins, CO also survives.

Richard was born in Schuyler, NE, January 13, 1920, but spent most of his childhood and youth in Goodland, KS. His parents were George E. and Margaret Taylor Gless. As a teenager, he learned to fly through a government-sponsored program which trained future military pilots. In 1942, based on his flying experience, he accepted a commission as Ensign, US Naval Reserve. After completing Navy flight instruction, he earned his wings and was designated a Naval Aviator. For nearly two years he instructed student pilots, and then was assigned to PBM Mariner seaplane squadron in the Panama Canal Zone.

Leaving the Navy in 1950, he flew for American Airlines, and then was recalled to active duty during the Korean War. Again released from active duty, he flew for American but quickly tired of that duty, and in 1955 he accepted a commission as Lieutenant, US Navy. For the next 10 years he served in fleet squadrons on the west coast with deployments to the Marshall and Aleutian Islands. While in the Marshalls in 1956, his squadron participated in atomic weapons testing. He returned to flight instructor positions for several years before becoming Executive Officer and then Commanding Officer of Patrol Squadron 19. The squadron completed two 6-month deployments to the Aleutian Islands performing aerial antisubmarine patrols with Lockheed P2A Orion aircraft. Later he became Weapons Officer aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Hornet, and deployed to the Tonkin Gulf in 1965 for service in the Vietnam War. Subsequent assignments were in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations at the Pentagon and as Inspector General of Third Naval District.

In 1973, he retired from the Navy with 30 years of service, and then worked for the AOPA Air Safety Foundation as vice president specializing in aviation safety. In 1991 he retired from AOPA, but continued flying until 2002, when he was 82 years of age. He was a member of the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association (AOPA) and the Mariner/Marlin Association.

Funeral services will be held in The Old Post Chapel, located at Fort Myer, VA (immediately adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery) on Thursday, December 16, 2010 at 11:00 AM. The interment will follow in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA. Arrangement by the Keeney & Basford P.A. Funeral Home, Frederick. Please sign the family guest book by going to www.keeneybasford.com.