When Joint Task Force 116 was organized by USARPAC to assist the Royal Thai Army following the Laos Crisis, Richardson became its commander due to his experience dealing with guerrillas in the Philippines. The task force patrolled the Laos–Thailand border for six months and was then inactivated. Richardson received a Thai decoration for his service, and returned to The Pentagon as deputy chief of staff for personnel. In this role, he requested the Association of the United States Army to establish command sergeant major's conferences to be held during its annual meetings, and was responsible for the creation of the Army Community Services Program. Richardson ended his career as commanding general of the Sixth United States Army at the Presidio of San Francisco between 1 August 1965 and July 1967. Soon after Richardson assumed command of the army, the Watts riots broke out in Los Angeles and on 15 August 1965 he was selected by officials to command Federal troops if they were sent into to restore order. This was ultimately not needed as the riots were contained by the California National Guard. While commanding Sixth Army, he requested the United Service Organizations to establish a USO Lounge at the San Francisco International Airport, which was used by American servicemen during the Vietnam War, and organized the Fort Point and Army Museum Association. For his service there, Richardson received his third Distinguished Service Medal.