15 July 1967 – T.H. Herndon was flying F-100D #563275. Enroute to a target of 150 Vietcong in a treeline, he was hit by 57mm AAA during a climb. He ejected and was recovered by USAF Helo. Herndon was serving with the 531st TFS out of Bien Hoa AB.
Retired Army Capt. Jon F. Myhre remembers the day Dick Woodson helped to save his life. “On 26 March 1967, my Army Huey helicopter was shot down in the Mekong Delta, 300-feet in front of treeline containing over 300 enemy soldiers. F-100 pilots CPT Richard E. Woodson and 1LT James V. Fiorelli, 531st TFS, (RAMROD 1) made numerous bombing and strafing runs on the Viet Cong emplacements. Their precision strikes kept the VC at bay, and I was eventually rescued. They saved my life, and I owe them a debt of gratitude. I hope their families are able to read this heartfelt “Thank You” from an old Army guy.”
Richard E. Woodson was born on October 10, 1938, in Winchester, IL. He had enlisted in the Air Force and entered via Regular Military. He began his tour on October 17, 1966, serving with the 531st TFS out of Bien Hoa AB, Vietnam. (2) On a mission to support a USN Fuel Dump over Phong Dinh Province, Dick’s F-100 was hit by gunfire and crashed.
Richard is buried at Camp Butler National Cemetery and honored on the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial in Washington DC. His name is inscribed at VVM Wall, Panel 24e, Line 65.
At the time of his death, Richard was married with two children.
Sources:(1) wwmf.org; (2) Honorstates.org
