Richard Schwab:
CLASS OF 1963
Harry Ells High SchoolClass of 1963
Richmond, CA
Richard's Story
I graduated from Ells and screwed around at CCC, Chico State and S.F. State chasing girls and drinking and came up 1A. I went to see what the Army offered and signed up for 4 years. Did Basic, AIT, Jump School, Rigger School, Special Forces and then went to Vietnam and enjoyed it a great deal. Came back, promoted to Staff Sergeant and went to Flight School. Transitioned into Scout Helicopters and returned to Vietnam. Shot down 5X wounded 2X but never seriously, still liked the country and people. Brought a girl back with me , got out of the Army after 6 yrs., married her and went back to college. I didn't realize I'd miss out on drinking, drugs free love and most of the sixties just because I found something I could do. What a rip!
Back in college I had to withdraw from what I could and take everything else over. I burned the candle at both ends trying to get a degree and fly helicopters for Richmond Police. Got straight "A"s and came out no. 1 with Richmond Police but couldn't be hired because they were Fed funded and I needed to be black. Guess I couldn't pull off the accent. Anyway I did so well I thought I'd try Law School at UOP Sacramento. Meanwhile I had two girls guaranteeing I'd forever be outvoted.
Continued to bust my ass and work full time at CMF prison as Charlie Manson's wing officer. Finally finished and moved with my family to Hawaii. I flew tour helicopters on Kauai for a year waiting to make residency and take the BAR. Hired as District Attorney 3 yrs, then Attorney Genr'l/Special Asst. U.S. Atty total 9 yrs then opened up my own offices. Flew in Hawaii Army Nat'l Guard.
1991 I did a big case, tour airplane crash, and thought about retiring. 1992 crashed in Cobra helicopter, (I wasn't flying), totaled million dollar aircraft and thought about being dead. 1993 my wife returned to Vietnam to visit her family after 21 yrs and killed in an automobile accident. Tough on everyone. I quit working pretty much.
Since then I retired from Law in 2001, retired from Nat'l Guard 2002, returned to California to help my elderly parents in Napa and went back to work in Corrections. 20...Expand for more
06 sent to San Luis Obispo for a year and commuted every weekend up to Napa. Transferred to Vacaville 2007, retired Corrections 2008.
My oldest daughter has been married for eight years. Younger daughter got her BA and looking for work beyond,"Do you want fries with that?" Sold house, doing OK. No longer rich but no longer working 18 hours a day. I did some traveling in 2003 before my Mom got very sick and spent a lot of time in Brasil and Costa Rica. Commuted to a girlfriend in Spain for a year and saw Egypt with her. Enjoyed Germany, Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Switzerland, England all over US.
Now I'm living with my parents who have been married 66 years and helping them enjoy life as much as they can. Tough to watch but probably pretty common for baby boomers now.
No more high school, no more Foster's Freeze, no more Doggie Diner or Mels, (where it used to be), no more draggin' the main. If I didn't know better I'd think I was getting old but that ain't gonna happen.
Whatever happened to the swimmers Jim Pease, Tom Bishop, Courtney Stanley, Ralph Barbour, Tom Decker, Bruce Mills or any of the rest. Or friends of mine Keith Carter or Mike Blackwell?
I was Rick in high school, Schwab in the Army, Richard as an attorney to be more formal and cool. Now I'm just Rick again but I pretty much answer to anything.
If I didn't respond before it's because I just joined Classmates 3/16/09 for four months. I'll get in touch with you as soon as I can.
Rick
update: Parents passed away in 2009 and 2010 and my youngest daughter and I moved to Costa Rica. We were buying land, building a house and had bought a boat when we learned how difficult it can be to be a Gringo in a Third World country in recession. We came back to visit my older daughter in Florida and found it cheaper, better and First World so we moved here to a beautiful house that had depreciated 62% in one year. Younger daughter continuing education in medical field. We're swimming, traveling, seeing Disney World, Epcot Center, Key West and eventually europe and Brazil again. I'm biking, trying to force myself to work out and reading.
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