Honoring a Giant: The Life and Legacy of LtGen Richard Carey

Fighter Pilot Podcast

E. Vincent "Jell-O" Aiello, Retired U.S. Navy Fighter Pilot

History, Personal Journals, Technology, Society & Culture, Government, Leisure, Aviation

4.9 • 2K Ratings

🗓️ 24 November 2025

⏱️ 47 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

We close out our month-long tribute to the Marine Corps’ 250th birthday with a special replay of a 2021 Happy Hour conversation featuring Lieutenant General Richard E. Carey.

Across nearly four decades in uniform, General Carey rose from enlisted grunt to three-star general, serving everywhere from the Inchon landings and Chosin Reservoir to the skies over Vietnam. He went on to amass more than 9,000 hours in every fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft the Marine Corps flew. Yet what stands out most is his quiet warmth and the timeless wisdom he shared—like sitting down with a beloved grandfather who’s seen it all.

General Carey passed away in early 2025 and now rests in the very cemetery he once helped establish. Rest in peace, General Carey. And Semper Fi, Marines.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	The Fighter Pilot podcast is proudly sponsored by L3 Harris throughout the month of November
0:04.8	as we honor veterans and salute the brave service members dedicated to defending our freedoms.
0:10.5	L3 Harris proudly supports the military aviator community, both active and veteran, not just today,
0:16.3	but every day.
0:17.8	Explore their cutting-edge technologies designed for today's fighter pilots by visiting
0:22.3	L3Harris.com. L3 Harris, dependable technology for safer skies.
0:36.9	Hello and welcome to the fighter pilot podcast. I am your host Vincent Aiello call
0:41.6	sign Jello and have I got a treat for you? This week we wrap up our month-long tribute to the
0:48.1	United States Marine Corps celebrating their 250th birthday with a guest who has just about seen
0:53.8	and done it all.
0:55.3	Retired Lieutenant General Richard Carey spent nearly four decades as a Marine, having gone
1:00.9	ashore incheon during the Korean War and later fighting at the Chosen Reservoir, where he
1:05.8	nearly lost a foot to frostbite. Well, General Kerry kept both feet, went on to pilot training, and eventually
1:11.4	flew over 300 combat missions in Vietnam, logging more than 9,000 total flight hours in just
1:18.2	about every fixed and rotary wing aircraft the Marine Corps operated in those days. But the best part is,
1:24.7	this conversation adapted from an early 2021 Patreon happy hour,
1:29.4	is like sitting down with your dear old grandpa, relaxed, full of stories, and wonderfully
1:34.7	unpredictable.
1:36.3	Now, because this came from a happy hour, the audio is from Zoom and not quite as pristine
1:41.3	as what our producer Daryl usually, but, hey, that does not
1:45.3	diminish the quality or the joy of this delightful conversation.
1:49.7	So, without further delay, let's hear from Lieutenant General Richard Carey.
	...

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