The "Gun Wound Caused Korea Vet's Death" heading in a local news article alerted Watsonville of the death of "Tex."

Richard Allen Boyd was born on March 3, 1933, to Mr. and Mrs. William E. Boyd. Also sharing the family home on Palm Avenue in Watsonville were his sisters Dorothy Jean and Sue Carole, a brother William Jr. and a stepbrother, Henry Campbell. His father was employed as a pressman by the Watsonville Register-Pajaronian newspaper. Boyd attended local elementary schools and about 1948 entered Watsonville High School.

In April 1951 Richard Boyd left high school to enlist in the US Army. "Tex" Boyd, as he was familiarly known, received his basic training at Fort Ord, California and later received instruction qualifying him as a member of a heavy mortar team. In September 1951, he was assigned to Company H, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment of the 25th Infantry Division serving in Korea.

Boyd arrived in Korea just as the armistice was getting underway.
“When armistice negotiations began on 10 July 1951, the war entered a new stage. The lines became static with limited objective attacks replacing major offensives. In mid-July the Tropic Lightning [35 Regiment] returned to the front line in its previous positions in the Ch'orwon-Kumhwa area. In October 1951 the 35th Infantry was pulled off the line for rest and training that lasted until 7 November 1951 when the 35th moved back to the front line. In mid-December 1951 the 2nd Division relieved the 25th Division which then moved into reserve near Kapyong.”

On February 25, 1952, Mr. and Mrs. William Boyd received a telegram from the Defense Department informing them of the death of their son, Private First Class Richard Allen Boyd, on February 15, 1952. The message indicated that Boyd had been killed by an accidental gunshot wound at the hands of another soldier near Hwachon North Korea.

The body of "Tex" Boyd was returned to the US and is buried in the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno.

(ABMC; USDVA; WRP April 26, 1951 16:1, February 25, 1952 1:1, February 26, 1952 1:5, April 17, 1952 2:5; 25th Infantry Division, 35th Infantry Regiment (the Cacti) The Korean War, http://www.25thida.com/35thinf.html#Korea, [16 Sept. 2008])