With his discharge certificate in hand, Richard was almost a civilian until a train got in the way.

Richard Greenwood was born on January 16, 1925, in Capitola, California, to Mr. and Mrs. Fred Greenwood. His brother Ernest and his sister Beatrice rounded out the family. Greenwood attended Holy Cross Grammar School and Mission Hill Junior High School before entering Santa Cruz High School in 1940.

After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Greenwood dropped out of high school and on January 16, 1942, enlisted in the US Navy. Upon completion of training at San Diego he was assigned to the Pacific Fleet to serve aboard a navy landing ship. Landing ships were created during World War II to support amphibious operations by carrying significant quantities of vehicles, cargo and troops directly onto an unimproved shore location. Greenwood served as ship's cook first class aboard LSM-435 (Landing Ship Medium) and participated in several Pacific Theater campaigns, including Kwajelein.

Richard Greenwood returned to California and was discharged on January 16, 1946. Before returning to Santa Cruz, he visited his father, then living in Santa Clara County. On January 24, 1946, Richard and his father were riding together on a motorcycle that was hit by a train at the Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road crossing. In the crash he was killed and his father was injured.

Richard Greenwood's remains were returned to Santa Cruz for a funeral at St. Joseph's Church in Capitola and burial at Holy Cross Cemetery.

(SCHSC Pg. 10; SCR February 8, 1946 -1; WIKI, LSM-435)