Luther Richmond was born on December 13, 1915, in Chicopee, Massachusetts. He received his Bachelor's degree in economics from American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts, before entering the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Corps on July 6, 1938. Richmond was commissioned a 2d Lt and awarded his pilot wings at Kelly Field, Texas, on May 26, 1939, and then served as a flight instructor at Randolph Field, Texas, until September 1941, when he became Commander of the 97th Training Squadron at Foster Field, Texas. He then served as Assistant Commander and then Commander of the 2nd Training Group, also at Foster Field, from June 1942 to June 1943, followed by service as commander of the 486th Fighter Squadron of the 352nd Fighter Group at Farmingdale on Long Island, New York, from June to July 1943. Maj Richmond deployed with the group to England in July 1943, and was credited with destroying 1 Fw-190 in aerial combat before being shot down by antiaircraft fire and taken as a Prisoner of War on April 15, 1944. He was held at Stalag Luft I in Barth, Germany, until May 1945, when his POW camp was liberated. After returning to the U.S. he served as director of operations at Selfridge Field, Michigan, where he supervised the flying training of French Air Force cadets from November 1945 to June 1946, followed by service as commander of the 8th Fighter Group at Ashiya, Japan, until October 1947. Col Richmond served as deputy chief of staff for operations with Headquarters 5th Air Force in Nagoya, Japan, from November 1947 to June 1949, and then he served with Headquarters U.S. Air Force in the Pentagon from August 1949 to July 1953. His next assignment was as commander of the 564th Air Defense Group and commander of Otis AFB, Massachusetts, from August 1953 to February 1955, followed by service as the first Chief of the Air Force Section for the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Bonn, West Germany, from March 1955 to July 1958, during which time he aided in the rebuilding of the German Luftwaffe. He attended National War College from August 1958 to June 1959, and then served another tour at the Pentagon from July 1959 to July 1963. Gen Richmond next served on the staff of Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Paris, France, from July to September 1963, and then as Inspector General for U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) from September 1963 to March 1965. He was Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations at USAFE from March to November 1965, and then Vice Commander of 17th Air Force at Ramstein AB, West Germany, until March 1966. Gen Richmond served as Commander of 19th Air Force at Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina, from March 1966 to March 1967, followed by service as Director of Plans for U.S. Strike Command at MacDill AFB, Florida, from March 1967 until his retirement from the Air Force on May 1, 1970. Luther Richmond died on June 27, 2003, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

His 2nd Distinguished Flying Cross Citation reads:

For extraordinary achievement in aerial flight over enemy occupied Continental Europe. The skillful and zealous manner in which Lt. Col. Richmond has sought out the enemy and engaged him, his devotion to duty and courage under all conditions serve as an inspiration to his fellow flyers. His actions on all these occasions reflect the highest credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.