World War II Veteran, Who Called Penn Yan Home, Passes Away at 101 Years Old

Yates County is mourning the loss of well-known World War II veteran Richard “Dick” Gillespie, who passed away on Sunday. He was 101 years old.

Gillespie grew up in Fulton and after graduating high school began studying engineering at Syracuse University. He earned his pilot’s license in 1941 and enlisted in the military in 1943.

Dick was assigned to the U.S. Army Air Corps’ 447th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force. He flew a B-17 Boeing Bomber (known as the “Flying Fortress”) on 21 missions over Germany, leading a nine-man crew through what was called “flak alley.” Gillespie piloted the lead bomber on his last ten missions and never lost a plane to enemy fire. Among other commendations, he earned three Bronze Service Stars, the World War II Victory Medal, Air Medal, and the Distinguished Flying Cross for leading a bombing mission that destroyed a Nazi jet airbase. Soon after Germany surrendered in 1945, Dick led a large formation of B-17s on an aerial victory tour of Europe with officers and ground crew members onboard.

Dick Gillespie (Photo provided)

He was honorably discharged in November 1945 with the rank of First Lieutenant.

Dick and his wife Jean moved to Penn Yan in 1999 and became immediately involved in the community. He served on the Board of the First Presbyterian Church and volunteered with Meals on Wheels and at the Yates Community Center, among others. In 2014, he was named Volunteer of the Year by the Yates County Cultural and Recreation Center.

In the fall of 2013, Dick joined 11 other World War II-era veterans from Penn Yan as part of an Honor Flight to the nation’s capital.

Gillespie was inducted into the New York State Senate’s Veterans Hall of Fame in November of 2021.

For funeral information on Mr. Gillespie, click here.