Suzi Connection

Richard Szabo USMC Portrait

I’ve known Suzi Szabo for at least 10 years, and recently it came to my attention that her husband, Richard, served in the United States Marine Corps and the Los Angeles Police Department.

After reaching out to Suzi, she cajoled her reluctant hubby to meet with us, where we kicked around creating Richard’s veterans page.

Clearly, Suzi is very proud of Richard’s service, so he agreed to meet again.

San Fernando High School
Richard Szabo was born March 26, 1939 in Lorain, Ohio. In 1943, Richard’s father moved his family to Los Angeles, and soon after, he was drafted into the U.S. Army’s Signal Corps for World War II’s European Theater.

Richard Szabo U.S. Marine Corps Patch

After the war, the family relocated to Pacoima, where Richard’s father built their home. Richard attended San Fernando High School, where he lettered three years in varsity gymnastics.

Richard also worked part-time with his dad in construction as a lather, where he earned $1 per day.

At age 16, Richard bought his first car, a 1951 Chevy Deluxe Coup that he got for $800. Richard used to drive girls home from high school for 25 cents each.

As a rowdy teenager frequently skirting trouble, yet athletic with a strong work ethic, 17-year-old Richard decided to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps on February 6, 1957.

Richard did boot camp at San Diego’s Marine Corps Recruiting Depot for three months, and then six weeks of advanced infantry training at Camp Pendleton.

Honorable Discharge
After combat training, Richard took a 10-day leave of absence back home before deploying aboard the troop ship USS Breckinridge to Okinawa via Tokyo, Japan.

Richard was assigned to the 1^st Battalion, 12^th Marines as a legal clerk, which he found highly disappointing, as he favored the infantry.

Richard had scored high in intelligence testing, so he was stuck performing headquarters administrative office work, and possessing strong typing skills did not help his cause.

Richard Szabo in Hong Kong

While assigned in Okinawa, his unit was part of the Fleet Marines, serving 14 months in the Far East, experiencing deployments on five different Navy ships.

Richard had several visits to the Philippines, Hong Kong and Taipei, which was quite an extraordinary adventure for a teenager.

In October 1958, now an E-3 corporal and still in administrative, Richard was sent to Marine Corps Air Station El Toro for six months and then to Naval Amphibious Base Coronado to train Marine reservists.

Richard spent his last six months in public relations before receiving his honorable discharge February 5, 1960, completing his three years of honorable service.

Back in the Real World
During his service, Richard unwittingly married his high school girlfriend in a marriage that was doomed to fail.  Upon leaving the Marines, Richard returned to his family, now living in Sylmar, for several months before settling into his own home in San Fernando.

Soon, Richard found employment at General Motors on Van Nuys Boulevard and landed a cherry job driving brand new cars off the assembly line.

Richard Szabo LAPD Badge

In 1962, after filing a Los Angeles Police Department application, Richard joined the City of San Fernando as a volunteer reserve police officer for the next two years.

Richard yearned to become an L.A. police officer, but due to his youthful indiscretions, it took until April 1964 before he was finally accepted to L.A.’s Police Academy.

It was a proud day in July that year when Richard graduated from the academy.

His first assignment was to the Foothill Division, then with the 77^th Division in “accident investigations,” and next to The University Division. These three assignments to rookie officers were dubbed “The Wheel.”

Richard received his high school diploma in 1962 and he earned his Associate’s degree in police administration in 1969.

Meeting Suzi

Richard & Suzi Szabo Wedding

Being a divorcée for six years, to Richard’s great fortune, he happened to attend a Los Angeles gymnasium, where he encountered the love of his life, Suzi Felix.

He liked what he saw, as they were immediately attracted to each other, and soon they began seeing each other regularly for the next five years.

On September 17, 1988, they were married at the First Presbyterian Church in Newhall.

Now married for 31 years, they have four children, six grandchildren and five great grandchildren, which keep them very busy.

High-Profile Cases
Richard served 30 years with LAPD, with 25 years as a detective, and he was an original member of LAPD’s famed Swat Team, which trained at Camp Pendleton in repelling, weapons, tactics, etc.

Among his many assignments, his favorite was serving in thee Robbery/Homicide Division, where he was promoted to lieutenant.

Richard Szabo (left) & Sgt. McGill Arresting Black Panther Member

Richard was one of a few officers at that time selected to attend the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Academy in Quantico, Virginia for three months.

Richard was involved in many high-profile cases during his illustrious career, including the following:

The first major gun battle with the Black Panthers in December 1969, a six-hour shoot-out that helped advance Swat Team tactics.

Richard was also involved as a platoon leader in the massive Rodney King Riots of April and May of 1992, which followed King’s unfortunate beating by LAPD officers.

Richard Szabo At Center Staging Area During Rodney King Riots

Richard participated as a detective investigating the murders of young women during October of 1977 to February 1978 famously known as the “Hillside Strangler Case.” This case resulted in the most costly legal case in California at that time.

Richard handled cult leader Charlie Manson’s rape case, which barely preceded the famous Tate-LaBianca murder case in 1969.

Richard Szabo During Rodney King Riots

Retirement
On July 5, 1994, Richard retired from the LAPD, but not being one to take life easy, he promptly became a private investigator, handling mortgage fraud for the next four years.

These days, Richard and Suzi proudly support their children by babysitting and carting them to sporting events, etc.

Meanwhile, Richard became a Disabled American Veterans (DAV) driver, escorting veterans for Veterans Administration (VA) appointments.

Being of Hungarian and Italian heritage, he studied their languages and explored those countries with Suzi at his side.

Clearly, Richard and Suzi accomplished their American dream.

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