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Home Town Born in Miami, Records: Sumterville FL
Date of Passing May 03, 1992
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
RADM JOHN "L" BUTTS Jr. U.S.N. (Ret.)
U.S. Navy, WWII, Korea and Vietnam
John L. Butts, Jr., 71, a retired rear admiral and Navy pilot who was owner of Management Recruiters of Gaithersburg, died of a heart attack May 3 at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital. A resident of the Washington area on and off since the early 1950s, he lived in Darnestown.
Adm. Butts retired in 1973 as commander of the 14th Naval District in Honolulu after 33 years of military service. Since then he had been a consultant, management recruiter and partner in Search A.V.G. Inc., an engineering firm.
Adm. Butts was born in Miami. He attended the University of Mississippi and the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School and received a master's degree in international relations from California Western University.
He served in the Pacific during World War II, in Korea during the Korean War and as executive assistant to the commander in chief of the Pacific during the Vietnam War. During his career he also was commanding officer of the USS Kitty Hawk and USS Platte, executive assistant to the deputy chief of naval operations and a commander with various assignments in Hawaii, including the manned spacecraft recovery force and the Hawaiian sea frontier. Advanced to Rear Admiral as of 1 November, 1969.
He was a member of the military delegations to the Southeast Asia and North Atlantic treaty organizations.
After his retirement, Adm. Butts was Turkey country director for International Executive Service Corps and executive assistant to the president of Northrop Airport Development Corp.
His military decorations included the Navy Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with gold star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with four gold stars, Joint Service Commendation Medal and Navy Commendation Medal.
He was a member of the Presidential Commission on Department of Defense Education Overseas, the Honolulu-Pacific Federal Executive Board, Retired Officers Association and Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association.
Survivors include his wife, Ginnabeth Butts of Darnestown; three daughters, Dana Butts of Los Angeles, Shannon Butts of Coronado, Calif., and Allison Butts of Darnestown.
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant John "L" Butts, Jr. (NSN: 0-106599), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Dive Bomber of Bombing Squadron NINETEEN (VB-19), attached to the U.S.S. LEXINGTON (CV-16), in action against Japanese Fleet units in the vicinity of the Philippine Islands on 24 October 1944. He made a dive bombing run with his flight and his bomb failed to release, whereupon he circled for altitude and in spite of extremely intense and continuous anti-aircraft fire from enemy capital ships, daringly made a one plane bombing attack upon an enemy cruiser and strafed other enemy capital chips. His courage and skill were at all times in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant John "L" Butts, Jr. (NSN: 0-106599), United States Naval Reserve, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight while acting as Pilot of a Bomber type aircraft on a search over enemy territory in company with one fighter plane in the vicinity of the Philippine Islands on 25 October 1944. He sighted enemy warships and successfully transmitted this important message and then proceeded to make a bombing attack in the face of aerial opposition and intense anti-aircraft fire, strafing in his dive and doing much damage to the enemy. His skill and courage were at all times in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant John "L" Butts, Jr. (NSN: 0-106599), United States Naval Reserve, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Bomber aircraft assigned to an attack upon an enemy heavy cruiser in the vicinity of the Philippine Islands on 5 November 1944. In spite of enemy air opposition and intense and continuous anti-aircraft fire, he pressed his attack extremely low and contributed appreciably to the sinking of this enemy warship. His courage and skill were at all times in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
