BORTOLUS GARY P

CW4 Gary P. Bortolus was a VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 08/30/2015 at the age of 71.2
Tampa, FL
Flight Class 66-15
Date of Birth 06/29/1944
Served in the U.S. Army
Served in Vietnam with C/229 AVN 1 CAV in 66-67
Call sign in Vietnam WAGON WHEEL
This information was provided by Ken Mulholland, Sammie Williams

More detail on this person: Bortolus, Gary P., retired U.S. Army reservist helicopter pilot and chief warrant officer (cw4), 71, of Tampa, passed away August 30, 2015. Born in Weehawken, NJ, to Dominic and Gelindes Bortolus, Gary earned a degree in civil engineering at the State University of New York but his love was flying. He served his country as a combat assault pilot with the 1st Calvary in Vietnam and was awarded a Bronze Star and Distinguished Flying Cross. He spent 22 years with the 348th Medical Detachment in Orlando and flew medevac helicopters in Desert Storm.

A past president of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Assoc. of Florida, Gary was also a member of Quiet Birdmen, American Legion Post #152, Tampa, and DAV, and Tampa Bay Parrot Heads. He flew the news helicopter for WFLA, Channel 8, and owned Town 'N County Video with his wife of 40 years, Ingelore, who died in 2009. Gary also worked for Ford Motor Credit and Chase, both in Tampa, and for Piper Aircraft in Lakeland. He lived in Town 'N Country for 40 years and spent his retirement going to antique car shows with a 1960 Pontiac Catalina he restored. He enjoyed building projects, gardening, playing pool and spending time with his family, friends and military buddies.

He is survived by his loving family, daughter Jennifer Bortolus Goffard and husband Christopher; three grandchildren, Julia, Sophia, and Olivia Goffard; brother, August "Rudy" Bortolus and wife Robin; sister, Victoria Bartke and husband Robert; companion, Deborah Rebuck; and several nieces and nephews.

Family and friends are invited to attend a celebration of Gary's life on Monday, September 28, 2015, from 10:30 am-11:30 am at the Blount & Curry West Chapel, 6802 Silvermill Dr., Tampa. Inurnment will follow at Bay Pines National Cemetery at 2:15 pm with military honors. Instead of flowers, memorial donations may be made to www.usocentralflorida.org, woundedwarriorproject.org, DAV.org or a local American Legion.

This information was last updated 05/18/2016

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Date posted on this site: 01/11/2025