Richard Lee Harrold of Warsaw, who served in the U.S. Navy for 28 years, was recognized as the September Kosciusko County Veteran of the Month at the Kosciusko County Commissioners’ meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 12. From left: Kosciusko County Veteran Service Officer Darryl McDowell; Kosciusko County Commissioner Cary Groninger; Harrold; Harrold’s wife Patsi Anne Harrold; Kosciusko County Commissioners’ Vice President Bob Conley; and Kosciusko County Commissioners’ President Brad Jackson. InkFreeNews photo by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Richard Lee Harrold of Warsaw is the September Kosciusko County Veteran of the Month.

Harrold, a U.S. Navy veteran, was recognized at the Kosciusko County Commissioners’ meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 12. Kosciusko County Veteran Service Officer Darryl McDowell presented Harrold with a certificate and read biographical information on him, including the following.

Born in and raised in Billings, Mont., Harrold had three younger siblings. His family moved to the Detroit, Mich., suburb of Southgate before his senior year of high school.

Prior to his graduation with the Class of 1967, Harrold entered the U.S. Navy Reserve and finished his basic Naval training. He then joined the regular Navy and headed to the Naval Station in Philadelphia, Pa., before special skills training in Pensacola, Fla.

Harrold served in numerous leadership roles while on assignment. His assignments included San Miguel in the Philippines as well as Scotland, Iceland, Spain, the United Kingdom and Michigan.

He served aboard the USS Enterprise (CV-65), being deployed on it to the Western Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal during the Libyan crisis in 1984.

Harrold helped recruit his daughter in Flint, Mich., to a four-year Navy ROTC program.

In October 1995, Harrold was honorably discharged with the rank of master chief (E9), having received multiple awards and accolades. Before he retired, on his final Naval assignment in Rota, Spain, he became the first command master chief of a newly created command know as the Naval Security Group Activity.

Harrold’s been married to Patsi Anne for 51 years. The couple has two kids and four grandchildren and moved to Warsaw to be closer to family.

After accepting his certificate, Richard shared how he and his wife met on a blind date while he was in the Navy, with his sisters arranging it.

“It was not a date that anybody would really want. I had car problems, got caught with the top down (on the convertible) in a rainstorm,” he said. “Needless to say, she would not go out with me a second time.”

Richard later was contacted by Patsi Anne about a second date. However, it was unable to be scheduled as planned due to President Richard Nixon wanting certain Naval positions in Vietnam, which included Richard.

Richard’s overseeing officer was able to let him go back to Michigan, where he and Patsi Anne had their second date and were married shortly afterward.