Richard Wright was born in Halstead, Kansas and attended the Halstead schools, graduating from high school in 1962.
He entered the Marines in April of 1965 and went overseas in September. He was employed at Cessna Industrial Products division in Hutchinson for about 2 years before his enlistment. He was the first casuality of the Vietnam conflict from Harvey County. He died, while serving his country, of chest wounds inflicted in a battle near Da Nang.