The 35th Infantry Regiment Association salutes our fallen brother, PFC Richard I. Buckingham, RA16294896, who died in the service of his country on June 27th, 1952 in North Korea. The cause of death was listed as KIA. At the time of his death Richard was 20 years of age. He was from Michigan. Richard's Military Occupation Specialty was 4745-Light Weapons Infantryman.

The decorations earned by PFC Richard I. Buckingham include: the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Korea Service Medal, and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.

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Private First Class Buckingham as a member of the 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division was seriously wounded by the enemy in South Korea on September 8, 1950 and evacuated to the United States on September 27, 1950. He returned to Korea and joined the 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy on Heartbreak Ridge in North Korea on June 27, 1952. Private First Class Buckingham was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Combat Infantrymans Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.

Dick is buried in Washtenong Memorial Park, Ann Arbor, MI. He had a brother and three sisters. Dick allegedly enjoyed driving fast. It is related that on a short trip, when a brother-in-law questioned the speed he was driving. Dick simply said, "We wont be rear-ended!"