Richard was a member of the Naval Reserve and was an Aviation Machinist's Mate Second Class. His squadron was called to active duty during the Cuban missile crisis in 1961. Richard was killed when the antisubmarine aircraft in which he was flying took off from Homestead Air Force Base and flew into a thunderstorm and crashed.
TP obit 11/11/1961
Obit in The Advocate (BR) 7/2/1979
Interment in Westlawn Memorial Park
Marriage Notes for Robert Thomas Gilbert Jr and Vera VICKNAIR-21435
Wedding announcement in T-P, page 20, 6/8/1941, gave name as "Thomas Gilbert, Jr."
T-P obit 9 Aug 2004