RUF WILLIAM L

CW4 William "Willie" L. Ruf was a VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 09/20/2007 at the age of 84.6 from Heart surgery
Daleville, AL
Flight Class 55-F
Date of Birth 02/16/1923
Served in the U.S. Army
Served in Vietnam with 93 TC CO in 61-62, 121 AVN CO in 63, 228 ASHB 1 CAV in 64-65
This information was provided by Kimberly Buxton (granddaughter), Donna Fearing, Brian Foot

More detail on this person: Retired Warrant Officer 4 "Willie" Ruf died recently at age 84 after a six month bout with cancer. He retired as an aviator in 1970. Served in the infantry 14 years starting in 1941, World War II and Korea. He graduated in the first flight school class at Fort Rucker in 1954 at age 32. Served in Lebanon, three campaigns in Viet Nam, earned Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, and Air Medal for valor. Assigned to the Presidential Helicopter Detachment in 1958, flew presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and numerous heads of state. Was a standardization instructor at Fort Rucker freom 1965 until his retirement. Taught avaition branch history at the Army Avation Museum for the last ten years of his life.

This information was last updated 05/18/2016

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: 03/10/2024