Phillip N. Butler
US POW in N. Vietnam for eight years, president Veterans for Peace / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Phillip Neal "Phil" Butler (born August 11, 1938) is a retired United States Navy officer and pilot. He was the eighth-longest-held U.S. prisoner of war (POW) held in North Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Butler, who was forced to eject after a mid-air explosion on April 20, 1965,[1]: 44 was a prisoner of war in North Vietnam until his release as part of Operation Homecoming in 1973.[2] Butler was one of the five POWs (with Carlyle "Smitty" Harris, Hayden Lockhart, Robert Peel, and Robert H. Shumaker) credited with establishing the tap code.[3] The code enabled the prisoners to communicate with each other.[2]
Phillip N. Butler | |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | Phil |
Born | (1938-08-11) August 11, 1938 (age 85) Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States |
Allegiance | United States |
Service/ | United States Navy |
Years of service | 1961–1981 |
Rank | Commander |
Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
Awards | Silver Star (2) Legion of Merit (2) Bronze Star Medal (2) Purple Heart (2) |
Other work | President of Veterans for Peace |
After his release, Butler earned a PhD in sociology and used his communication skills to provide leadership training in military and civilian life. Butler provided community service as President of Veterans for Peace. In October 2019 Butler was inducted into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame.[4]