More detail on this person: Brandoff, Todd Alan
USA, CPT (Ret) Flight Class 67-18A-1, Callsign:
Mailman
Todd Alan Brandoff, 74, of Lolo, Montana, passed
away in comfortable peace and without pain with
his family and many friends near him on Saturday,
March 25, 2017 at St. Patrick Hospital of bladder
cancer.
Todd was born August 14, 1942, in Freeport, New
York, to Carl and Adeline Brandoff. By the age of
16, he started his own small business doing
salvage diving off Long Island. He graduated from
Baldwin High School in 1960. He graduated from
the University of Montana with a Bachelor's Degree
in Journalism in 1966. He also completed the UM
Army ROTC program and was a member of the
skydiving club. Todd worked as a Lolo Hot Shot
firefighter during that time and later as a fire
lookout in Eagle, Alaska. He later graduated from
Pacific Lutheran University in 1971 with a
Bachelor's Degree in Education.
On June 10, 1967, he married Kerry Lynn Hartwig,
in Dallas, Texas. He graduated from helicopter
schools at Fort Wolters in Texas and Fort Rucker
in Alabama. He deployed to Viet Nam in 1967 and
served with the 118th Assault Helicopter Company
out of Bien Hoa. He was severely wounded when
his helicopter was shot down. He received the
Purple Heart. After a lengthy recuperation, he
completed his Army service as a company
commander at Fort Lewis, Washington.
Todd and Kerry moved to Missoula in 1971. Todd
worked as a sawyer with his own portable sawmill.
He served as director of Lolo Sewer and Water. He
served on the boards of Missoula International UM
Friendship Program and of the Good Food Store.
One of his proudest achievements was being an
advisor to the Missoula Refugee Assistance
Corporation. A big priority in his life was his
devotion to his Christian faith by serving in his
church as greeter, usher, and as a nursery
helper.
In 1988, Todd was part of a group of Viet Nam
veterans who visited Soviet veterans who had been
in Afghanistan. The group's mission was to
exchange information to help transition back to
civilian life. In 1991, he was asked to be a
member of the Gulf Peace Team which went to
Baghdad, Iraq. He saw these trips and his work
with foreign students as citizen diplomacy to help
bring different peoples together.
Todd and Kerry loved to travel and made numerous
trips to Canada, Hawaii, the Caribbean,
Kazakhstan, and the UK. They also shared
interests in hosting international students. He
belonged to the Western Montana Military Officers
Association. Todd especially enjoyed collecting
fluorescent rocks, loved art, and loved classic
cars. He belonged to Hellgate Mineral Society and
Lolo Shifters Car Club.
Survivors include his wife, Kerry, Lolo; his
sister, Bonnie Stere, Oregon; niece, Jeanne Marie
Bohenek and nephew, Matt Bohenek. The Church
Memorial Service will be at Christian Assembly
Foursquare at 1001 Cleveland on Saturday, April
22, at 11:00 AM with reception after. Military
Honor Ceremony will be at Western Montana
Veterans' State Cemetery at 1911 Tower Str.
Missoula, on April 19 at 11:00. Memorials donated
in Todd's name can be sent to: Partners Hospice,
2687 Palmer Street, Suite B, Missoula, 59808.
His widow, Kerry , asks that if the pilot of his
aircraft the day he was wounded reads this would
he please contact her at kerry1947@msn.com.
That pilot saved Todd's life.
This information was last updated 04/21/2017
Please send additions or corrections to: HQ@vhpa.org VHPA Headquarters
Return to the Helicopter Pilot DAT name list
Return to VHPA web site
Date posted on this site: 04/13/2025
Copyright © 1998 - 2025 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association