A former Gowanda resident’s second book highlights the 38-year veteran of Marine Corps Lieutenant General Richard E. Carey who commanded a rifle platoon in Korea, flew 204 combat sorties in Vietnam and led the evacuation of Saigon. Author Alan E. Mesches wrote “The Flying Grunt,” published by Casemate Publishers.

During the summer of 1950, Carey went from Camp Lejeune, N.C., to Camp Pendleton, Calif., to train for the Korean War. Carey participated in the Inchon Landing, the drive to Seoul, and the Chosin Reservoir Battle. Despite being badly wounded in March 1951, Carey stayed in the fight with these words, “I have a job to do.”

Returning to the United States from Korea, Carey earned his fighter pilot wings. Carey went back to Korea in 1954 as a pilot. He later held assignments in Japan, Florida, Texas, South Carolina, Hawaii, North Carolina, and Virginia.

Carey was promoted to lieutenant general in 1980 and served as commanding general at Marine Base Quantico, Va., until retiring from the Marine Corps in 1983. He returned to his home state of Ohio and served in the cabinet of then Gov. Richard F. Celeste as Director of Liquor Control. Carey also led the Port Columbus International Airport before retiring to his wife Dena’s home state of Texas in 1987.

In Texas, General led the drive for a national monument honoring those who served at the Chosin Reservoir. The first monument is at the Marine Corps Museum in Virginia. A second monument was dedicated in Dallas.

The General’s 41 awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, 16 Air Medals, and the Purple Heart.

Mesches wrote the biography based hours of interviews with the General, his papers, speeches, Marine Corps documents, and interviews with more than 30 people.

Mesches is also author of Major General James A. Ulio: How the Adjutant General of the United States Army Enabled Allied Victory. Casemate Publishers is the publisher of both of his books. Mesches, a 1967 Gowanda Central School graduate, earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Grove City College in 1971 and a Master of Science in journalism from Ohio University in 1972. He is an Air Force veteran. Mesches had a 36-year career in sales and marketing. He worked for Procter and Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Dr Pepper/Seven Up (now Keurig Dr Pepper) and retired from Naturally Fresh, Inc. as vice president of distributor sales and marketing in 2011. He lives in Frisco, Texas.