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The Tenacious Bland Richardson

Bland Z. Richardson was named Zeno Bland Richardson after his father's commanding general in World War I, but not until after Bland's birth certificate was issued. In order to register for military service during World War II, Bland was required to produce a copy of the certificate, but it read ``Boy Richardson.'' He promptly entered his name as Bland Z. Richardson prompting his dad to proclaim, ``He's so stubborn I couldn't even name him.''

Our Bland indeed comes from a military family. His father, James C. Richardson, was an ordained Baptist minister and served as a chaplain in Europe in World War I. During World War II, he was a major in the army and assigned to troops that invaded Okinawa, Japan. Bland and two of his brothers served in Europe while another brother served in Trinidad with the Coast Artillery. Brother Jack was killed in Germany after crossing the Rhine River at Remagen.

Bland grew up in Poplarville, Mississippi. The town is built on land donated by his wife's great-grandfather. Bland and Nelda Jean Bass eloped in 1941 even though Nelda swore she would ``never marry one of those Richardson boys.'' It was six months before they announced their secret marriage, and they remained married nearly 63 years until Nelda passed away in 2004. The Richardsons have two children, Lynda and Jack, who live in Arizona and Arkansas respectively. Son-in-law John frequently accompanies Bland to Rotary functions. Bland and Nelda also have three grand children and four great-grand children.

After high school and some college, Bland completed aviation engineering cadet school at Yale University. Upon graduation he was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Army Air Force. Bland was considered an "Essential Serviceman," so he spent the war years in San Francisco accepting B-24 bombers for the Air Force-processing them, equipping them for combat, assigning combat crews to them, and sending them into the combat zone. When he finally made it to Europe, he was assigned to Berlin at a time when the Russians were depleting the city of its goods and services.

For three years, Bland was confined to Berlin where he set up maintenance for the Berlin end of the Airlift. When the Berlin Airlift started, Nelda and daughter Lynda were moved to Frankfurt as were all dependents so that food and goods would not have to be flown in to them. There he maintained C-47 and C-54 aircraft that delivered food, coal, yeast, and some equipment via the American, French, and British corridors to Berlin until near the end of the Airlift.

Bland's next assignment was in Great Falls, Montana, where he worked as Director of Maintenance and trained pilots on C-54 airplanes bound for the Berlin Airlift. One night, the kerosene-oil stove that heated Bland and Nelda's trailer blew up. Bland saved his children but was severely burned in the process. He was hospitalized for most of the two years that followed, and he has undergone more than 20 surgeries to reconstruct his nose, face, ear, and a hand. In 1952, Captain Richardson officially retired from the Air Force.

He and Nelda returned to Mississippi where Bland spent almost five years recouping from his burns. In the meantime, Bland purchased and developed a successful business with heavy equipment which was used in clearing land, building lakes and ponds. After recovering, he moved to the University of Florida to complete his aeronautical engineering degree. Bland was offered a job building the B-58 in FortWorth, Texas. In Fort Worth, he learned he was under duel compensation laws, so he decided to bunch engineering and pursue a degree in forestry at the University of Montana in Missoula.

After graduation he was hired by the USDA Forest Service and assigned to the Logan research station at Utah State University in 1963 where he worked as a research scientist in watershed management. Until 1986, Bland was researcher and university professor teaching classes in reclamation and surface mine rehabilitation at USU. He published some 40 papers. Bland was a member of the team that established the Surface Environment and Mining (SEAM) project with the western half of the program administered in Logan.

The USDA recognized Bland with many awards which include a Certificate of Merit (1966, 1975), a Superior Service Award (1967), a Certificate of Appreciation (1976, 1988) and another Superior Service Award (1985). He was also recognized for his devotion to the promotion of Research in Science by the Society of the SIGINA XI (1967). Bland served as Commander University Post American Legion in 1993 and 1994. He is a 32 degree Scottish Rite Mason, a York Rite Mason, and a member of Shriners of North America.

Bland's father was a Rotarian, so it is fitting that Bland also became a Rotarian. Paul Packer, a project leader at the forestry research station, nominated Bland for membership in the Logan Rotary Club in 1977. Bland laughed as he told me that they fought a lot but quickly added, ``Paul is a wonderful guy.'' Bland was chairman of the Fellowship Committee in 1994 and served on the Board of Directors from 1996 to 1998. He and Nelda were Paul Harris recipients.

Nelda and Bland shared a love for hunting deer and antelope, and they had six snow mobiles that were well used during 30 winter visits to Yellowstone National Park. Bland's real passion was duck hunting, and a fully-equipped boat is parked in his driveway.

Bland's fabulous metal working skills are reflected in the new smoker at the Logan Country Club. He was instrumental in its construction having completed all of the metal fabrication including a recently added baffle to ensure even cooking throughout. Bland says he ``enjoys metal work and some wood working but not house work.'' He also loves to eat catfish and peanuts.

Bland Z. Richardson is proud of being a part of the Berlin Templehoff Airlift group. With daughter Lynda and son Jack, he co-chaired the group's last reunion held at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Bland is equally proud of his USDA Forestry Service career.

We are proud of you, too, Bland! Thank you for your many years of service to the Logan Rotary Club.