Rich fell asleep in the Lord on 6 January 2024 after a fall at home. He will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.
Born on October 2, 1943, and raised in northern California, Rich was the oldest of three - a brother, Russell and a sister, Carolyn. His parents, Barbara and Gordon, pre-deceased him. He is survived by his brother and sister as well as his nieces and nephews.
He graduated from University of California Santa Barbara with a BA in History and obtained his MA in History from San Diego State University. Subsequently, worked on a PhD at Georgetown University.
During 1968-69 Rich served with 101st Airborne in Vietnam, first as an artilleryman and then as a unit historian. After his honorable discharge from the US Army, he was hired as a historian by the United States Marine Corps History Division and moved to Washington, DC.
Rich made his career there for over 40 years, with numerous awards and promotions. His two most well-known works are Marines in the Revolution, A History of the Continental Marines in the American Revolution, 1775-1783, and Marines in Vietnam: High Mobility and Standdown, 1969. In addition, he wrote numerous other books, countless monographs and book reviews. He served as senior editor on many projects that helped the Marines tell their story.
Rich was widely admired for his kindness and generosity. He regularly mentored college interns, Marines, writers and historians, patiently helping them advance their research and writing skills. He always made time for junior staff. Former interns often contacted him for advice and guidance and Rich always responded.
As a convert to Orthodox Christianity in 1975, Rich took the Chrismation name Constantine, and Orthodoxy became central to his life. Rich found a home at St. Nicholas Cathedral, taking comfort in its services and prayers. He was a member of the Veterans' Guild and worked selling used books at the annual Christmas Bazaars. Over the years his faith continued to grow. He has generously designated the bulk of his estate for Eastern Orthodox seminaries.
