Richard Charles Archer Memorial Stone

Richard Charles Archer was born on August 27, 1944 in Hyannis, Massachusetts and was the son of Arthur D. and Elsie Archer. He grew up in Hyannis working at the Hyannis Port Yacht Club and attended Barnstable High School graduating in 1963. During his high school years he played football, soccer, hockey and track. After graduating he went to Cape Cod Community College. He enlisted in the Navy on August 3, 1964 and acquired basic training at Great Lakes Navel Training Station, Illinois. He attended Navy schools connected to the nuclear power submarine program. He returned home on a 30 day leave and married Janet Louis MacLachlan of Quincy. A shipmate recalled that Archer brought his commanding officer a piece of the wedding cake. Serving on the U.S.S Destroyer Mansfield as Navy Machinist Mate 2nd Class, he was killed in action on September 25, 1967. He was the first Barnstable man to sacrifice his life in the Vietnam War. His ship was active in heavy firing in the Gulf of Tonkin when communist guns tore a hole in the ship’s forward stack, fragments penetrated the engine room killing Richard and wounding 19 others. He was awarded the Purple Heart. His remains were brought back home to Hyannis where he is buried in Oak Neck Cemetery and his memorial is located in the intersection of Pitchers Way and Scudder Avenue.