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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Sponsor

Honored by:
Mr. Horst Stahl

Colonel Richard G. "Duke" Woodhull, Jr. completed his 30-year career as an Air Force pilot on 1 July 1985, having accumulated 6500 hours of military flying hours while serving in a wide variety of demanding operational and staff responsibilities. Designated a Distinguished Graduate of Aviation Cadet Class 57-B at Stalling AB, Kinston, NC on 13 October 1956, he initially flew the C-54 on trans-Atlantic routes for MATS and later, the Air Rescue version SC-54 in support of the then-secret U-2 aerial sampling program, Project Crowflight. When his later AFIT tour at the University of Colorado was curtailed by erection of the Berlin Airlift in 1961, he was assigned for four years to the Strategic Air Command (SAC) as a KC-135 jet tanker pilot and instructor, and to key wing level staff positions while still a relatively junior officer.

During the period 1966-1971, then-captain Woodhull was combat ready in the SAC U-2 high altitude reconnaissance aircraft, flying at various locations, including Bien Hoa, South Vietnam. In February 1967, he was the recipient of the prestigious USAF "Well Done" Award for saving a valuable U-2 aircraft in severe weather conditions following a flameout. Following active U-2 crew duty, he was assigned as the officer-in-charge of the U-2 branch, SAC Strategic Reconnaissance Center, Offutt AFB, Nebraska. Subsequent assignments included staff duty in the SAC Special Missions Division at U-Tapao AFB, Thailand, DLI-WC Portuguese Language Course at the Presidio of Monterey, CA (winning the Commandant's Trophy), three years' security assistance duty working in the Brazilian Air Ministry, Rio de Janeiro, the Air War College senior service school class of 1976 (Distinguished Graduate), and Assistant Director of Operations and later, Combat Support Group Commander (Base Commander), 305th Air Refueling Wing, (SAC), Grissom AFB, IN.

During the waning years of the Marcos Regime, Colonel Woodhull provided critical human intelligence to the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) as Defense & Air Attaché to the Republic of the Philippines (1981-1984). His final career assignment was as Director of Plans & Resources for the uniquely-specialized Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC), Patrick AFB, FL. Colonel Woodhull's decorations include multiple Air Medals, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Legion of Merit and the Defense Superior Service Medal. Colonel Woodhull followed his 30-year Air Force career with over a decade in international aircraft sales. In September 2013, Colonel Woodhull published his book, Flying High...Memoir of a 30-Year Adventure, (Xlibris LLC).