More detail on this person: John D. Butcho - Flight Class 68-9, Cobra transition Class 69-2. Flew in Vietnam with Troop D, 2nd Squadron, 1st Calvary. CW2 John D. Butcho of Savannah, Georgia, passed away on Monday, November 14, 2011, after a twenty year battle with a cancerous brain tumor. HE was born August 26, 1945 in Detroit, MI. He graduated from Lakeview High School, St. Clair Shores, MI. He completed two years at Michigan State University in Mechanical Engineering before being drafted into the Army. John received the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism on Aug 1, 1969, while supporting a Long Range Patrol which was surrounded by a numerically superior enemy force. His other awards include the Bronze Star, Air Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Army Aviator Badge, National defense Service Medal and the Marksman Badge. He was assigned to Hunter Army Air Field, Savannah, Ga., after Vietnam and served as a UH-1 Instructor Pilot for Vietnamese Students. John opted to be released from active duty on June 1, 1971 and returned to Detroit. Between June 1971 and September 1972, he was employed as an Instructor Pilot with the McKinley School of Aviation in Fraser, MI., Detroit Piper Sales and Services, Inc., Pontiac, MI., and with Coastal Aviation, Inc., in Savannah after his return to Georgia. From 1972 to 1976 he was employed by the Savannah Machine and Shipyard Company as a Draftsman/Estimator. From 1976 into the early 1980's, he was employed by the Ductile Iron Company of America as an Assistant to the Plant Engineer. From there until 1996 he was employed by Gulf Stream, Inc., in Savannah as a Hydraulic Systems Engineer. His illness forced his retirement in 1996. John loved tennis, which he played at the highest level all around Savannah with his doubles tennis partner, Allen Poppell. He also loved wood working and water skiing. Flying and anything related to it was his passion. He continued to fly privately into the 1990's. At one time he was constructing a home built airplane in his garage. John is survived by a younger sister, Karen. He will be sorely missed by everyone that ever played tennis or flew with him. Fairhaven Funeral Home - Hubert C. Baker Chapel 7415 Hodgson Memorial Drive Savannah, Georgia 31406 912 - 927 1999 www.fairhavenfuneralhome.net Savannah Morning News November 22, 2011 Please sign our Obituary Guest Book at savannnahnow.com/obituaries.
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Date posted on this site: 08/31/2024
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