Richard Redle

The Making of a Montanan Richard Redle

In his own words and style, Redle describes his roots and growing up dividing his time between school days in Missoula and summers on his grandparent's homestead in Stillwater County, Montana. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the onset World War II interrupted his goal of continuing the operation of the ranch, he joined the Navy in January 1942. He recounts being assigned to a "Two Stacker" the USS McKean (APD-5); a destroyer converted to attack transport. While ferrying Marine Rangers on the initial assaults on Guadalcanal, the ship was sunk by a Japanese torpedo bomber. Of the crew, Redle was one of only fifty-nine survivors. Returning to the States, he was given a short Leave and quickly reassigned to the USS Preston (DD-795) for another nineteen months of uninterrupted duty escorting Navy Task Forces and giving fire support to marines on shore while surviving weather, enemy kamikaze attacks and arduous sea duties. After the war, he was able to marry and return to the ranch until service related health issues forced his retirement.