The Days Forward

West Point Class of 1969

Richard Cappiello

I grew up the oldest of 3 boys in a small Connecticut town outside New Haven. My father was a Bombardier on a B17 in WWII. He was shot down on his third mission in Italy and spent 18 months as a POW before being liberated. He hardly ever spoke about his military service, but I know he was proud when I was accepted at West Point.

         I had a great childhood. I have grammar school friends I’ve known almost 70 years that I still keep in touch with. One of the best things that happened in my life (besides meeting my wife of 53 plus years) was ending up in Company A4. I was not particularly gifted academically or physically, but that band of brothers in A4 gets the majority of credit for my graduation.

 I was always more comfortable around machines than people. I remember many office encounters where the right thing to have said would occur to me an hour later. I worked for three big Fortune 100 companies, and have racked up a lot of floor time in factories. Machines don’t judge, and to this day I get enjoyment from the sound of equipment put back to life.

         We live in an old house in Westchester County, NY (before nails!). I am spending my 4thQuarter years trying to keep the place standing, and also caring for my daughter’s baby now 15 months old. Day care where she works stops at noon. On days when my wife takes a job in our local schools, I have the baby to myself 3 or 4 hours before relief. Not exactly an empty nester, but it does make you feel the mission isn’t over!!