Richard H. Carmichael

Richard Henry Carmichael
Major General Richard Henry Carmichael
Born(1913-04-13)13 April 1913
Hillsboro, Texas
Died14 April 1983(1983-04-14) (aged 70)
Bethesda, Maryland
Place of burial
AllegianceUnited States
BranchUnited States Army Air Corps
United States Air Force
Years of service1936–1961
Rank Major general
Service number0-20203
Commands9th Bomb Squadron
88th Reconnaissance Squadron
19th Bombardment Group
462nd Bombardment Group
11th Bombardment Group
98th Bombardment Group
14th Air Division
Far East Air Forces Bomber Command
21st Air Division
Air Command and Staff College
Battles / warsWorld War II: Korean War
AwardsDistinguished Service Cross (2)
Silver Star (2)
Legion of Merit (5)
Distinguished Flying Cross (2)
Air Medal (4)
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)

Richard Henry Carmichael (11 April 1913 – 14 April 1983) was a general officer in the United States Air Force and a highly decorated bomber pilot. He twice received the Distinguished Service Cross. Carmichael piloted the first B-29 Superfortress to be shot down over Japan in World War II, while leading the 462d Bombardment Group in the bombing of Yawata on 20 August 1944, the first daylight air raid on Japan since the Doolittle Raid in 1942. He remained a prisoner of war until he was liberated on 29 August 1945. During the Korean War, he flew another 39 combat missions as commander of the 98th Bombardment Group. He was commandant of the Air Command and Staff College, before he retired from the Air Force on 19 January 1961.