BUTT, RICHARD LEIGH
Remains Returned 10 April 1986
Name: Richard Leigh Butt
Rank/Branch: O2/US Air Force
Unit: 47th TFS
Date of Birth: 28 February 1943
Home City of Record: Norfolk VA
Date of Loss: 11 November 1966
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 170300N 1065800E (YD108825)
Status (in 1973): Prisoner of War
Category: 1
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: F4C
Incident No: 0517
Other Personnel in Incident: Herbert B. Ringsdorf (released); nearby F4C same
day: Robert I. Biss; Harold D. Monlux (both released)
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 April 1991 from one
or more of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources,
correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Updated
by the P.O.W. NETWORK March 1997.
REMARKS: DEAD/IR 1 516 0176 71
SYNOPSIS: The Phantom, used by Air Force, Marine and Navy air wings, served
a multitude of functions including fighter-bomber and interceptor, photo and
electronic surveillance. The two man aircraft was extremely fast (Mach 2),
and had a long range (900 - 2300 miles, depending on stores and mission
type). The F4 was also extremely maneuverable and handled well at low and
high altitudes. Most pilots considered it one of the "hottest" planes
around.
On November 11, 1966, two F4C aircraft were shot down about 5 miles west of
the city of Vinh Linh in Quang Binh Province, North Vietnam. The crew of one
consisted of pilot 1Lt. Herbert B. Ringsdorf and weapons/system operator
1Lt. Richard L. Butt. Of this crew, both were apparently captured, but only
Ringsdorf was released at the end of the war. The Department of Defense
received intelligence that Butt was dead, but evidently did not feel it was
compelling enough to declare Butt Killed in Action, as he remained in
Prisoner of War status for several years.
On April 10, 1986, Butt's remains were "discovered" and returned by the
Vietnamese and positively identified. For twenty years, Richard L. Butt was
a prisoner of war - alive or dead.
The crew of the second F4C to be shot down on November 11, 1966 was 1Lt.
Harold D. Monlux and Capt. Robert I. Biss. Both men were captured and
released at the end of the war.
There is some confusion as to the location of the loss incidents of these
four individuals. While the loss coordinates place all four in Quang Binh
Province, certain records indicate that Biss and Monlux were lost in the
next province to the north, Ha Tinh. Their grid coordinates (YD108825 and
YD093804) are close enough to be all in Quang Binh Province.
Since the war ended, over 10,000 reports relating to Americans missing,
prisoner or unaccounted for in Southeast Asia have been received by the U.S.
Government. Many authorities who have examined this largely classified
information are convinced that hundreds of Americans are still held captive
today. These reports are the source of serious distress to many returned
American prisoners. They had a code that no one could honorably return
unless all of the prisoners returned. Not only that code of honor, but the
honor of our country is at stake as long as even one man remains unjustly
held. It's time we brought our men home.
Richard Butt, Herbert Ringsdorf and Harold Monlux were promoted to the rank
of Captain during the period they were maintained Prisoner of War. Robert
Biss was promoted to the rank of Major.
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