Bio
Enlisting in 1947, Richard J. ‘Dick’ Meadows served with the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team during the Korean War. In 1953, SSG Meadows joined early Special Forces (77th and then 10th Special Forces Groups [SFGs]).
In the early 1960s, he served with the British 22nd Special Air Service (SAS), in the United Kingdom and Oman. Afterwards, SFC Meadows participated in Operation WHITE STAR in Laos as part of 7th SFG. He helped activate 8th SFG in Panama, before ordered to the Military Assistance Command-Vietnam Studies and Observation Group in 1965. Several high-profile missions rated a battlefield commission to CPT in 1967.
After a second Vietnam tour and service in the Ranger Department, he was the Assault Group (Blue Boy) Commander for the Son Tay Raid to recover American POWs in North Vietnam. MAJ Meadows retired in June 1977, but served as a civilian during the establishment of 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta. In 1980, Meadows served covertly in Tehran, Iran, during Operation EAGLE CLAW, the unsuccessful mission to free American hostages.
He died on 29 July 1995 and was interred in the Barrancas National Cemetery, Pensacola Naval Air Station, Florida. His awards and honors included the Distinguished Service Cross, the Presidential Citizens Medal, Ranger Hall of Fame, and the U.S. Special Operations Command ‘Bull’ Simons award. In 1997, a statue commissioned by H. Ross Perot was placed on the U.S. Army Special Operations Command Memorial Field at on Fort Bragg.
