More detail on this person: Albert Rhea "AL"
Woodruff (LTC USA Ret.) Passed away at his home
in Mesa, AZ. 24 Jun 2007. Of congestive Heart
Failure.
Al entered the US Army in Feb, 1953 as an
Enlisted man. Jan 1954 Al was accepted into The
Field Artillery School, OCS Program and graduating
in June 1954 as the Distinguished Military
Graduate where upon graduation was assigned to
Ft. Sill 52d, Field Arty Grp. As the Cdr. Commo
Platoon until attending the Field Arty Officers
Course in June 1957. July 1957 Al was assigned to
Camp Gary, Texas and on to Ft.Rucker, Alabama
for Initial Flight Training, Fixed Wing, and
Graduating Class 57-17.
After assignments as Platoon Intel Officer with
the 101st Avn Co in 1958-1959, Al returned to Ft
Rucker January 1959 for Rotary Wing Certification.
Class 58-3.
After Graduation Al was assigned to 3rd Light
Aviation Section in Korea where he was designated
the Corps Commanders Pilot.
September 1960 Al attended the Field Artillery
Advanced Officer Course. Followed by a tour at
Fort Bliss, TX as Staff Aviator and Maintenance
Officer
March 1963, Al was assigned to Ft. Rucker as
Flight Commander/ Instructor Pilot, Instrument
Flight Training Branch..
July 1965 Al was assigned to 2nd Bn. (ARA) 20th
Artillery, Vietnam as Operations Officer
July 1966 Al returned to CONUS and was assigned
to Co. A (Assault Helicopter), 82nd Avn Bn., Ft
Bragg, NC as, Commander
January 1968 Maj. Al Woodruff was reassigned to
Vietnam for his second tour this time as
Commander of 116th AHC "Hornets".
During his assignment with the 116th AHC Al was
promoted to LTC. And without a lot of fanfare met
his wife Joanne and his Bn. Cdr. in Saigon for a
very brief promotion ceremony and Mini-R&R.
July 1968 Al assumed the position of 269th Cbt.
Avn Bn. S3 where he planned and Directed Bn.
Size Combat Assaults and Assault Support
Operations until December 1968.
After returning to CONUS in Dec 1968 until his
retirement from active Duty in June 1975, Al was
assigned to Several Joint High Level positions at
Continental Army Command, Combat Development
Command and TRADOC.
Al received his BS Degree from Hampton Institute
in Business Management, w/ High Honors in Dec
1971, and his MS, Education from Old Dominion in
Dec 1975.
Al logged 4741 hours of flight time of which 1020
were Combat Hrs. He was awarded 2, DFCs, 2
BSM, 29 Air Medal, Master Army Aviator Badge
and a host of Fire Guard Badges.
Al is survived by his wife Joanne of nearly 50
years, Two Sons, Charlton and Kevin, Two
Grandsons, 5 Adopted Grandchildren and a
Great Grandchild.
Al and Joanne were frequent attendees at VHPA
Reunions and always looked forward to being with
his men. And we sure looked forward to being with
Hornet 6.
See ya on the LZ Boss. Ya Done Good!
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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