Coventry Man, Last RI Guardsman to Serve in Vietnam Retires

Coventry resident and Rhode Island National Guard’s last actively serving Vietnam Veteran, Captain (Ret.) Richard Gaudet Sr., recently retired and was honored on Nov. 2 during a ceremony at the Benefit Street Armory in Providence.

Captain Gaudet was born and raised in Providence and enlisted into the United States Army in 1971 at the age of 17.

In June of 1972, Gaudet was assigned to the 70th Aviation Detachment, United States Army Support in Thailand. From August 1972 until April of 1974, he made repeated trips into the Republic of Vietnam, providing aircraft support.

After returning home from the active Army, Gaudet attended and graduated from the Community College of RI and in 1978 joined the active Army Reserves. In 1981, he attended and graduated from the RI Army National Guard Officer Candidate School Class #24, and was commissioned as a 2nd Leiutenant in the US Army Reserve. 

During his time in the US Army Reserve Gaudet attained the rank of Captain before transferring to the Individual Ready Reserves. Following the events of Sept. 11, 2001, he enlisted in the RI National Guard serving as an instructor with the 243rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute.  

Gaudet has since served his country twice in Afghanistan, once in 2003 and again in 2007. 

Captain Gaudet’s awards include:

• Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters
• Army Achievement Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
• Vietnam Campaign Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Medal
• Afghanistan Campaign Medal
• Vietnam Cross of Gallantry
• Unit Award
• Meritorious Unit Award
• Joint Unit Meritorious Unit Award
• Combat Infantry Men’s Badge
• Air Crew Member Wings.

That new career is as a civilian contractor teaching troops how to use military equipment. He jokes that he’ll never really leave the military.