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Robert (Butch) Woods (RIP)
(Perished in a helicopter crash Dec 26 1967)
According to his room mate and Platoon Leader in Vietnam
“ I was Butch Woods' room mate and Platoon Leader in Vietnam. He was killed about a week after I left. The helicopter supposedly lost power and crashed and burned while on a Fire-Fly Dong Nai recon at night and in low lying fog. The helicopters were not equipped with radar altimeters to get the exact height above the ground plus Army pilots were not trained to do autorotations in those conditions.
I understand there is a memorial site placed by the local little league where he grew up. There was no way I could attend his funeral but at some point in the future I would like to visit it. “
Bob Regan
Pictures supplied by Frances Bean Leach
Bruce Leach Fran's Husband was fellow pilot who few missions with Butch in Vietnam 1967.
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Butch Woods 1967 Vietnam |
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Bruce Leach and Butch Vietnam 1967 |
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On a Mission |
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Butch pumping JP4 by hand at a primitive village in Laos. This was an Embassy mission and they wore civilian clothes and the helicopter id was painted over. |
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Thomas Twitty
I visited Butch Woods at the Vietnam Wall Memorial Weekend 2008. I traveled with a group of fellow Vietnam Vets by Motorcycle from Tampa to Washington DC and rode in the Annual Rolling Thunder Event. It is an awesome place to visit with the 58,272 names etched in granite on the wall and over 35,000 motorcycles stretching from the Pentagon Parking lots around the Washington Mall and back. It is a fitting tribute to Butch and all the Men and Women who "gave it all" for our freedom. Link to a Memorial for Butch on our www.CombatVets.net website. Direct Link -- http://combatvets.net/asp/biopage.asp?ID=49772
Barry Fry (1961)
In 2010 I visited Butch at the Wall. This was my second visit to Butch. RIP my friend from another Vietnam vet!
Kenny Wides
A number of years ago I was in dc with my family and visited the wall and touched butch's name. Very emotional.
Stephen Bruder
I, too, visited the Viet Nam war memorial wall in Wash. D.C. a few years ago and made a tracing of Butch's name, which I keep in my office.I first met Butch in the 3rd grade and we went to the same schools-Gulf Beaches elementary,Tyrone Jr. High, and Boca Ciega.We also played Little League baseball together. Butch was my neighbor across the bay in Treasure Island.
He walked funny-up on his toes-kind of bouncing,and I think that's what made him such a fast runner and excellent athlete. He was a great kid and a wonderful young adult who died way too soon-serving his country.
Troy Nicks
I didn't know Butch very well in school, but I recall thinking he was a cool guy who smiled and laughed a lot.
You're forever young, Butch, and we honor you.
Dianne Clow (Robertson)
Butch was WAAAAY out of my league at Bogie BUT I WASN'T BLIND! He was CUTE. I remember Mr. Safransky's Roar , "WOODS!, Drop and give me 20!" Push-ups were very common during our history classes. I was so afraid for all our cute guys as I could feel Vietnam coming over the horizon. I'll make my memorial to Butch ( whom I never knew as Robert) cover ALL the wonderful young lives that were cut short in the service of AMERICA. I've studied history ALL my life and still don't know the why's of everything BUT I DO KNOW that all the PATRIOTS didn't live in misty history. I went to Bogie whth a bunch of them. Thanks, Butch. See you someday.
Thomas Myers
Didn't know Butch too well but do remember him. Visited him at the WALL in DC. I lived in Treasure Island during 1969 and was without transportation at the time " long story" anyway I was thumbing rides to get to work and a gentleman stopped and picked me up. As we were talking, Vietnam came up and he said he'd lost a son there. The son he'd lost was Butch Woods. He picked me up every day until I got my car back. Great person. Welcome Home to all my Vietnam Brothers. Tom Myers