254:. This night, low level mission imposed great demands upon the resources and capabilities of the pilot. Exposing himself for fifty-five minutes over hostile territory in a highly sophisticated and lethal anti-aircraft defense structure, Lieutenant Stutz displayed outstanding determination in successfully obtaining the required intelligence on their assigned target. This intelligence was instrumental in restricting the flow of vital materials transported on the railroad leading from Hanoi to Communist China. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Lieutenant Stutz has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.
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During his first time at the infamous Hanoi Hilton, an old French prison in downtown Hanoi, the North
Vietnamese crowded 40 or 50 into each large cell. Stutz reported in 2004 that "We might have overstepped our bounds because they decided to 're-educate' 36 of us. We were sent to a camp called Skid
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Stutz grew up on farm in northeast Kansas. His sisters were Helen S. Caplinger and
Jeanette Mae Berry. He graduated from Atchison County Community High School, where he was an accomplished athlete. Following high school, he farmed with his brother-in-law for two years and joined the Kansas National
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In an interview in 2004, Stutz described what happened upon his capture. After being stripped of his clothes and having his arms tied behind him, they "beat hell" out of him. "They took me to three or four villages to let everyone see the 'American aggressor,'" he recalled, adding villagers were
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First
Lieutenant Leroy W. Stutz distinguished himself by gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force near Hanoi, North Vietnam on 23 November 1966. On that date, Lieutenant Stutz, despite extremely hazardous conditions, reconnoitered the Dap Cau Railroad and
335:. The years of deprivation and captivity took a toll on Stutz, who lost 68 pounds (31 kg), dropping from 175 to 107 pounds (79 to 49 kg). An injury suffered when he "tried to break the butt of a rifle with my head" had grounded him medically, when he was finally freed.
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I thought I was the toughest fighter pilot in the world. I found out real fast how wrong I was . . . When the screaming gets so bad they stuff a rag in your mouth so they don't have to hear you, all you can think is, 'God, I don't want to die and nobody even
382:, where he became the vice wing commander and the chief of the operation division of the 3330th Technical Training Wing. He was put in command of the 3360th in February 1992, and appointed commander of the Training Wing in November 1992.
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Stutz was routinely beaten, tortured and starved during the first four years of captivity. He was moved around to several POW camps in the north including New Guy
Village, the Zoo, Little Las Vegas, the Power Plant, Heartbreak Hotel,
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Colonel Stutz retired from the Air Force in June 1994, having completed 30 years on active duty. At the time of his retirement, he was a rated A pilot, with over 750 flying hours in the T-37 Tweet, T-33, and RF-4C Phantom II.
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at
Maxwell Air Force Base in 1984–1985. He returned to MacDill as Deputy Commander for Maintenance for the 56th Tactical Training Wing. He was next Deputy for Maintenance of the 552nd Airborne Warning and Control Wing at
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magazine published a story about
Gregory who was still listed as missing in action. Three months later, Vietnamese officials discovered Gregory's remains, returning them to his family 22 years after Stutz's return.
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Soon after graduation from the Air Force
Academy, Stutz married his high school sweetheart, Karen Keirns. Their son, Brian, was born in 1965. The Stutzs have three grandchildren: Aaron, Austin, and Aimee.
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Promoted to major in 1974, Stutz was an Air
Officer Commanding at the Air Force Academy and then the Commandant's Executive for Honor and Ethics. He next attended the Command and Staff College at
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About one year before their eventual release, the North
Vietnamese took Stutz and 214 other prisoners to a camp on the Chinese border. They remained there until the peace agreement was signed.
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as officer in charge of the 61st
Aircraft Maintenance Unit, maintenance supervisor, and later commander of the 56th Aircraft Generation Squadron and assistant deputy commander for maintenance.
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Row — solitary confinement, hotter than hell, no exercise," he said. "From Skid Row, they brought me and some other guys back and put us in an eight-man cellblock called Heartbreak Hotel."
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Stutz's 85th combat mission came on December 2, 1966. Stutz and his co-pilot, Captain Robert R. Gregory, were assigned a 55-minute photo reconnaissance mission over
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graduating in 1964. Prior to entering the service, Stutz was a Master Mason. Following his return from Vietnam he completed the Scottish Rite degrees.
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After flight training and reconnaissance photo training in Alabama and South Carolina, Stutz was promoted to first lieutenant and assigned to
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On March 4, 1973, Stutz, promoted during his time as a prisoner to captain, was released from Hanoi. Almost 600 Americans were freed during
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Stutz reported that he saw Gregory several times the day of their capture, but Gregory was unconscious. Both men were transported to the
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266:. During a pass over their target, their aircraft was hit by 57mm AAA ground fire and the two ejected as their aircraft crashed near
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516:"Ceremony Evokes Memories of Captivity" by Jeanne Grimes. The Tinker Takeoff. September 24, 2004. Available online at
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25 miles outside of Hanoi. After landing, the two established voice contact with each other, and both were captured.
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for the 1959–1960 academic year. While a student at Washburn, Stutz was initiated into the Kansas Beta Chapter of
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in the same truck and arrived on the same day they were shot down. Stutz never saw Gregory again. In 1987,
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During a reconnaissance mission in November 1966, Stutz was recognized for his bravery with his first
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in 1977–1978. Promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1978, he attended Maintenance Officers School at
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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/e/a/1999/08/20/WEEKEND10034.dtl#ixzz0VRJIYz1Y
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a rescue attempt but Stutz and his fellow POWs had been moved shortly before the raid.
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on July 9, 2023, at the age of 83. He was buried at Pardee Cemetery.
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Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
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encouraged to strike him too. "It was organized mayhem."
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http://www.tinkertakeoff.com/article.htm?intRecID=7375
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Promoted to colonel in 1984, Stutz then attended the
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United States Air Force personnel of the Vietnam War
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and Skidrow. Army Special Forces raided Son Tay in
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214:Stutz subsequently received an appointment to the
487:Quote from "Heartfelt Tales of POW Survival".
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477:http://www.pownetwork.org/bios/s/s123.htm
182:(November 13, 1939 – July 9, 2023) was a
491:. August 20, 1999. Available online at
503:Stutz served as a technical advisor to
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190:for 2,284 days (6.25 years) during the
164:w/ V for Valor and One Oak Leaf Cluster
420:"Stutz leaves legacy of determination"
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418:Atchison, James Howey (2023-07-13).
591:People from Atchison County, Kansas
16:U.S. Air Force officer (1939–2023)
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561:Recipients of the Legion of Merit
546:United States Air Force colonels
449:Basic biographical details from
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203:Guard in 1957. Stutz attended
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556:Recipients of the Silver Star
374:In July 1990, he reported to
551:Vietnam War prisoners of war
351:. He was then assigned to
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586:Washburn University alumni
277:Vietnam era F-4 Phantom II
153:Distinguished Flying Cross
198:Early life and education
77:United States of America
596:Phi Delta Theta members
245:. The citation reads:
145:w/ one Oak Leaf Cluster
135:w/ one Oak Leaf Cluster
93:United States Air Force
376:Chanute Air Force Base
353:MacDill Air Force Base
349:Chanute Air Force Base
345:Maxwell Air Force Base
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234:, Thailand flying the
216:U.S. Air Force Academy
180:Colonel Leroy W. Stutz
23:Colonel Leroy W. Stutz
365:Tinker Air Force Base
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304:Operation Ivory Coast
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172:Prisoner of War Medal
99:Years of service
581:Aviators from Kansas
425:Atchison Daily Globe
333:Operation Homecoming
250:Highway Bridge near
316:In the documentary
300:Camp Hope (Son Tay)
205:Washburn University
186:officer, pilot and
576:Shot-down aviators
475:Story reported at
452:"Veteran Tributes"
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505:Return with Honor
319:Return with Honor
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39:November 13, 1939
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125:Pilot Wings
58:(2023-07-09)
56:July 9, 2023
541:2023 deaths
536:1939 births
243:Silver Star
192:Vietnam War
162:Bronze Star
133:Silver Star
530:Categories
462:2009-10-30
436:2023-07-15
402:References
74:Allegiance
35:1939-11-13
327:knowing.'
102:1964–1994
42:Effingham
489:Examiner
380:Illinois
369:Oklahoma
82:Service/
67:Oklahoma
268:Yên Bái
226:Vietnam
116:Colonel
122:Awards
84:branch
69:, U.S.
48:, U.S.
46:Kansas
390:Death
260:Hanoi
252:Hanoi
232:Udorn
287:Life
107:Rank
53:Died
29:Born
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
