Poplar Bluff’s spaceman flies high

In case you didn’t know, there is a museum here in Poplar Bluff. It has tales of us, our family and our history. I want to tell you some of those tales found within the museum walls.

Did you know Poplar Bluff has launched a man into space?

Navy Commander Richard “Dick” Richards became a fighter pilot and space shuttle pilot after growing up in Poplar Bluff.

Richards attended O’Neal School in 1956 and 1957. He went on to junior high here in Poplar Bluff in 1957 and 1958. Richards played Little League and was a big Cardinals fan. He went to the University of Missouri. He graduated in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering.

Richards’ military career was impressive even before he went to space. He went to Naval Flight School in 1969 and became a fighter pilot. He flew A-4 Skyhawks, F-4 Phantoms, A-7 Corsairs and F-18 Hornets. He served on the carriers USS America and USS Saratoga, including a tour over Vietnam. He later became a Navy test pilot.

In 1980, he was accepted in to the NASA Astronaut Program. Between 1989 and 1994, Commander Richards piloted five shuttle missions on the Columbia and Discovery spaceships. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Just imagine, a little red-haired boy named Dick playing baseball at O’Neal School, what his dreams were. He was old enough to see Sputnik, John Glenn and Apollo. Could he have imagined how his life was going to turn out?

Commander Richards’ little league photo, astronaut photo and Space Shuttle Mission Patch are on display in the Kanell Hall Veterans Museum, located in the Poplar Bluff Museum.

The museum is open every Sunday, free of charge, from 1-3 p.m. at 1010 Main St., Poplar Bluff (formerly the Old Mark Twain School). Tell them Mike sent you!

Mike Shane is a veteran, Poplar Bluff resident and board member for the Poplar Bluff Museum.