Richard Fleming

Richard Fleming volunteered for the Marine Corps in 1967. He was trained as a Marine paratrooper and became a scout with an elite seven man Force Reconnaissance team in Vietnam. His book "Chasing Charlie" tells stories of brutal firefights, night parachute jumps, tiger attacks and even a murder, during the bloodiest years of the Vietnam War.

Additional information, links and photographs taken during these war years can be seen on the website: http://firstforcerecon.com

After leaving the Marine Corps, Richard worked as a programmer at Bell Laboratories, helping to develop and test new computer systems. He also taught courses in computer science at several universities. Following 911 he served as a mission pilot with the Civil Air Patrol, flying search and rescue patrols and providing security.

He is a registered Maine sea kayaking guide and instructor who has introduced hundreds of people to the sport. His three volume series "Kayaking Through History" tells about the rich history of the offshore islands of Maine and describes his favorite paddles.

Richard lives in Freeport, Maine.