Butch was born December 15, 1939, in Elizabeth City County, Virginia, (now Hampton County, Virginia), the son of Truth Lucille Cornelia Bender (1916-1987) and William Pleasant Ragsdale, Jr. (1910-1942). His father was stationed at Langley Field at that time. On October 6, 1942, his father, Captain Ragsdale, was killed in Broom, Western Australia while ferrying troops and patients in a B-24A. His mother later married Hal Stuart Alcorn, Sr. (1900-1970). Butch's uncle, Walter 'Buck' Bender, was a pilot in the USAF and retired as a Colonel.
He graduated from Pharr-San Juan–Alamo High School, San Juan, Texas in 1958.
Butch was accepted to Texas A & M University, where he became a 'Texas Aggie'. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force on May 23, 1963. He then joined the Texas Air National Guard.
He arrived at Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Oklahoma where he became a member of Pilot Training Class 65-F, on March 9, 1964. Butch was assigned to 3575th Pilot Training Wing, 3576th Pilot Training Squadron, Flight 3, 'Speedy' where he flew the T-37B 'Tweet'. In 'Speedy' flight, his instructor was George Hilliard. Part way through our T-37B training, the class was split in half and he was reassigned to Flight 4, 'Warlock' in the 3576th Pilot Training Squadron, where his instructors were William Butler and John Schultz. In advanced training, he was assigned to Flight 1, 'Mojack' where he flew the supersonic T-38A 'Talon', also known as the 'White Rocket'. His instructors were James Wilhelm, Ronald Olsen, Harold Mund and Eugene Moore. On Saturday morning, March 20, 1965 he graduated and was awarded his silver Pilot Wings.
There was a delay for his F-102 'Delta Dagger' aka 'Duce" class at Perrin Air Force Base, Texas so he was checked out and flew the T-33 'T-bird'. After completing the 'Duce' checkout, he went to San Antonio in the 182nd Fighter Intercept Squadron. For the next five years he flew primarily the F-102 and also the T-33, C-47 and even the old F-84F. During this time, he was promoted to Captain.
In early 1969, he was hired by Braniff Airways and subsequently left the Texas Air National Guard. He initially flew the Electra and when it was phased out, he was assigned to the DC-9 flying out of Miami to South America.
During one of several furloughs, Butch returned to his family's Wyoming home where he and Gay Elizabeth Day were married in Encampment January 1972. Gay was born in Rawlins, Wyoming on December 15, 1943 the daughter Elizabeth Hewitt and Kenneth Day.
Braniff recalled Butch to Dallas, Texas and later to Key Biscayne, Florida where their daughter, Elizabeth 'Libbi' Truth Alcorn, was born on Dec. 31, 1973. Gay accompanied Butch on flights all over the world.
The family moved back to Wyoming in 1975 when Butch was transferred to the Denver hub. He flew DC-8's until Braniff's 1982 bankruptcy. When Braniff went bankrupt, he was caught in Lima, Peru along with eight other crewmembers. His knowledge of Spanish helped them hitch a ride back to Miami on another airline.
He then got a job with Overseas National Airways in Karachi, Pakistan and later transferred to Saudi Airlines before flying out of Prudhoe Bay and Kuparuk doing radiography on the North Slope of Alaska.
He again went with Braniff (out of bankruptcy) where he flew all seats on the DC-8 until Braniff went bankrupt again.
Butch and Gay were divorced in 1986.
The 'good old boy hot line' found him a job as a trash hauler with Transafrik in Angola, Africa where he flew three-three-month tours in 727-100's, hauling everything from fish to diamonds out of Luanda, Angola, although most of the flying was for the World Food Programme a subsidiary of the United Nations.
He left Transafrik and went back to Wyoming, where met and married Christine E. Marshall on March 5, 1992 in the Silver Queen Saloon in Virginia City, Nevada.
He then worked as a machinist and millwright in a nearby sawmill. When the mill was shut down, he worked as a security guard for five years. He then worked as a ranch hand, in a log home sawmill, but mostly as roustabout hand.
On July 2, 2020, Butch was attempting to fix his roof and as he was going up the ladder to get onto the roof, he was carrying a heavy bucket of repair tar. He made it to the top of the ladder and then fell. He wasn't sure if he landed on the bucket or the bucket landed on him. He attempted to crawl to a neighbor's home and gave up, drew his Colt Defender .45, and fired three shots into the air which brought a number of neighbors to his rescue.
He suffered a compound fracture of his femur (above the knee), a dislocated elbow and six broken ribs. He was flown to the hospital in Casper, Wyoming where they performed surgery on his leg and put his dislocated his elbow back in. He briefly moved to his daughter, Libbi's, home and then went back to the hospital when his elbow dislocated again. After pinning his elbow, they discovered a major infection which was treated, but the anti-biotics induced kidney failure. He was removed to Pathway Hospice in Loveland, Colorado where he passed away on August 7, 2020.
On August 29, 2020, a memorial service was held in the Encampment Presbyterian Church. The following day his ashes were spread, by his family, at the family cabin in the mountains near Encampment, Wyoming.
He graduated from Pharr-San Juan–Alamo High School, San Juan, Texas in 1958.
Butch was accepted to Texas A & M University, where he became a 'Texas Aggie'. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force on May 23, 1963. He then joined the Texas Air National Guard.
He arrived at Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Oklahoma where he became a member of Pilot Training Class 65-F, on March 9, 1964. Butch was assigned to 3575th Pilot Training Wing, 3576th Pilot Training Squadron, Flight 3, 'Speedy' where he flew the T-37B 'Tweet'. In 'Speedy' flight, his instructor was George Hilliard. Part way through our T-37B training, the class was split in half and he was reassigned to Flight 4, 'Warlock' in the 3576th Pilot Training Squadron, where his instructors were William Butler and John Schultz. In advanced training, he was assigned to Flight 1, 'Mojack' where he flew the supersonic T-38A 'Talon', also known as the 'White Rocket'. His instructors were James Wilhelm, Ronald Olsen, Harold Mund and Eugene Moore. On Saturday morning, March 20, 1965 he graduated and was awarded his silver Pilot Wings.
There was a delay for his F-102 'Delta Dagger' aka 'Duce" class at Perrin Air Force Base, Texas so he was checked out and flew the T-33 'T-bird'. After completing the 'Duce' checkout, he went to San Antonio in the 182nd Fighter Intercept Squadron. For the next five years he flew primarily the F-102 and also the T-33, C-47 and even the old F-84F. During this time, he was promoted to Captain.
In early 1969, he was hired by Braniff Airways and subsequently left the Texas Air National Guard. He initially flew the Electra and when it was phased out, he was assigned to the DC-9 flying out of Miami to South America.
During one of several furloughs, Butch returned to his family's Wyoming home where he and Gay Elizabeth Day were married in Encampment January 1972. Gay was born in Rawlins, Wyoming on December 15, 1943 the daughter Elizabeth Hewitt and Kenneth Day.
Braniff recalled Butch to Dallas, Texas and later to Key Biscayne, Florida where their daughter, Elizabeth 'Libbi' Truth Alcorn, was born on Dec. 31, 1973. Gay accompanied Butch on flights all over the world.
The family moved back to Wyoming in 1975 when Butch was transferred to the Denver hub. He flew DC-8's until Braniff's 1982 bankruptcy. When Braniff went bankrupt, he was caught in Lima, Peru along with eight other crewmembers. His knowledge of Spanish helped them hitch a ride back to Miami on another airline.
He then got a job with Overseas National Airways in Karachi, Pakistan and later transferred to Saudi Airlines before flying out of Prudhoe Bay and Kuparuk doing radiography on the North Slope of Alaska.
He again went with Braniff (out of bankruptcy) where he flew all seats on the DC-8 until Braniff went bankrupt again.
Butch and Gay were divorced in 1986.
The 'good old boy hot line' found him a job as a trash hauler with Transafrik in Angola, Africa where he flew three-three-month tours in 727-100's, hauling everything from fish to diamonds out of Luanda, Angola, although most of the flying was for the World Food Programme a subsidiary of the United Nations.
He left Transafrik and went back to Wyoming, where met and married Christine E. Marshall on March 5, 1992 in the Silver Queen Saloon in Virginia City, Nevada.
He then worked as a machinist and millwright in a nearby sawmill. When the mill was shut down, he worked as a security guard for five years. He then worked as a ranch hand, in a log home sawmill, but mostly as roustabout hand.
On July 2, 2020, Butch was attempting to fix his roof and as he was going up the ladder to get onto the roof, he was carrying a heavy bucket of repair tar. He made it to the top of the ladder and then fell. He wasn't sure if he landed on the bucket or the bucket landed on him. He attempted to crawl to a neighbor's home and gave up, drew his Colt Defender .45, and fired three shots into the air which brought a number of neighbors to his rescue.
He suffered a compound fracture of his femur (above the knee), a dislocated elbow and six broken ribs. He was flown to the hospital in Casper, Wyoming where they performed surgery on his leg and put his dislocated his elbow back in. He briefly moved to his daughter, Libbi's, home and then went back to the hospital when his elbow dislocated again. After pinning his elbow, they discovered a major infection which was treated, but the anti-biotics induced kidney failure. He was removed to Pathway Hospice in Loveland, Colorado where he passed away on August 7, 2020.
On August 29, 2020, a memorial service was held in the Encampment Presbyterian Church. The following day his ashes were spread, by his family, at the family cabin in the mountains near Encampment, Wyoming.
Butch was born December 15, 1939, in Elizabeth City County, Virginia, (now Hampton County, Virginia), the son of Truth Lucille Cornelia Bender (1916-1987) and William Pleasant Ragsdale, Jr. (1910-1942). His father was stationed at Langley Field at that time. On October 6, 1942, his father, Captain Ragsdale, was killed in Broom, Western Australia while ferrying troops and patients in a B-24A. His mother later married Hal Stuart Alcorn, Sr. (1900-1970). Butch's uncle, Walter 'Buck' Bender, was a pilot in the USAF and retired as a Colonel.
He graduated from Pharr-San Juan–Alamo High School, San Juan, Texas in 1958.
Butch was accepted to Texas A & M University, where he became a 'Texas Aggie'. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force on May 23, 1963. He then joined the Texas Air National Guard.
He arrived at Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Oklahoma where he became a member of Pilot Training Class 65-F, on March 9, 1964. Butch was assigned to 3575th Pilot Training Wing, 3576th Pilot Training Squadron, Flight 3, 'Speedy' where he flew the T-37B 'Tweet'. In 'Speedy' flight, his instructor was George Hilliard. Part way through our T-37B training, the class was split in half and he was reassigned to Flight 4, 'Warlock' in the 3576th Pilot Training Squadron, where his instructors were William Butler and John Schultz. In advanced training, he was assigned to Flight 1, 'Mojack' where he flew the supersonic T-38A 'Talon', also known as the 'White Rocket'. His instructors were James Wilhelm, Ronald Olsen, Harold Mund and Eugene Moore. On Saturday morning, March 20, 1965 he graduated and was awarded his silver Pilot Wings.
There was a delay for his F-102 'Delta Dagger' aka 'Duce" class at Perrin Air Force Base, Texas so he was checked out and flew the T-33 'T-bird'. After completing the 'Duce' checkout, he went to San Antonio in the 182nd Fighter Intercept Squadron. For the next five years he flew primarily the F-102 and also the T-33, C-47 and even the old F-84F. During this time, he was promoted to Captain.
In early 1969, he was hired by Braniff Airways and subsequently left the Texas Air National Guard. He initially flew the Electra and when it was phased out, he was assigned to the DC-9 flying out of Miami to South America.
During one of several furloughs, Butch returned to his family's Wyoming home where he and Gay Elizabeth Day were married in Encampment January 1972. Gay was born in Rawlins, Wyoming on December 15, 1943 the daughter Elizabeth Hewitt and Kenneth Day.
Braniff recalled Butch to Dallas, Texas and later to Key Biscayne, Florida where their daughter, Elizabeth 'Libbi' Truth Alcorn, was born on Dec. 31, 1973. Gay accompanied Butch on flights all over the world.
The family moved back to Wyoming in 1975 when Butch was transferred to the Denver hub. He flew DC-8's until Braniff's 1982 bankruptcy. When Braniff went bankrupt, he was caught in Lima, Peru along with eight other crewmembers. His knowledge of Spanish helped them hitch a ride back to Miami on another airline.
He then got a job with Overseas National Airways in Karachi, Pakistan and later transferred to Saudi Airlines before flying out of Prudhoe Bay and Kuparuk doing radiography on the North Slope of Alaska.
He again went with Braniff (out of bankruptcy) where he flew all seats on the DC-8 until Braniff went bankrupt again.
Butch and Gay were divorced in 1986.
The 'good old boy hot line' found him a job as a trash hauler with Transafrik in Angola, Africa where he flew three-three-month tours in 727-100's, hauling everything from fish to diamonds out of Luanda, Angola, although most of the flying was for the World Food Programme a subsidiary of the United Nations.
He left Transafrik and went back to Wyoming, where met and married Christine E. Marshall on March 5, 1992 in the Silver Queen Saloon in Virginia City, Nevada.
He then worked as a machinist and millwright in a nearby sawmill. When the mill was shut down, he worked as a security guard for five years. He then worked as a ranch hand, in a log home sawmill, but mostly as roustabout hand.
On July 2, 2020, Butch was attempting to fix his roof and as he was going up the ladder to get onto the roof, he was carrying a heavy bucket of repair tar. He made it to the top of the ladder and then fell. He wasn't sure if he landed on the bucket or the bucket landed on him. He attempted to crawl to a neighbor's home and gave up, drew his Colt Defender .45, and fired three shots into the air which brought a number of neighbors to his rescue.
He suffered a compound fracture of his femur (above the knee), a dislocated elbow and six broken ribs. He was flown to the hospital in Casper, Wyoming where they performed surgery on his leg and put his dislocated his elbow back in. He briefly moved to his daughter, Libbi's, home and then went back to the hospital when his elbow dislocated again. After pinning his elbow, they discovered a major infection which was treated, but the anti-biotics induced kidney failure. He was removed to Pathway Hospice in Loveland, Colorado where he passed away on August 7, 2020.
On August 29, 2020, a memorial service was held in the Encampment Presbyterian Church. The following day his ashes were spread, by his family, at the family cabin in the mountains near Encampment, Wyoming.
He graduated from Pharr-San Juan–Alamo High School, San Juan, Texas in 1958.
Butch was accepted to Texas A & M University, where he became a 'Texas Aggie'. He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force on May 23, 1963. He then joined the Texas Air National Guard.
He arrived at Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Oklahoma where he became a member of Pilot Training Class 65-F, on March 9, 1964. Butch was assigned to 3575th Pilot Training Wing, 3576th Pilot Training Squadron, Flight 3, 'Speedy' where he flew the T-37B 'Tweet'. In 'Speedy' flight, his instructor was George Hilliard. Part way through our T-37B training, the class was split in half and he was reassigned to Flight 4, 'Warlock' in the 3576th Pilot Training Squadron, where his instructors were William Butler and John Schultz. In advanced training, he was assigned to Flight 1, 'Mojack' where he flew the supersonic T-38A 'Talon', also known as the 'White Rocket'. His instructors were James Wilhelm, Ronald Olsen, Harold Mund and Eugene Moore. On Saturday morning, March 20, 1965 he graduated and was awarded his silver Pilot Wings.
There was a delay for his F-102 'Delta Dagger' aka 'Duce" class at Perrin Air Force Base, Texas so he was checked out and flew the T-33 'T-bird'. After completing the 'Duce' checkout, he went to San Antonio in the 182nd Fighter Intercept Squadron. For the next five years he flew primarily the F-102 and also the T-33, C-47 and even the old F-84F. During this time, he was promoted to Captain.
In early 1969, he was hired by Braniff Airways and subsequently left the Texas Air National Guard. He initially flew the Electra and when it was phased out, he was assigned to the DC-9 flying out of Miami to South America.
During one of several furloughs, Butch returned to his family's Wyoming home where he and Gay Elizabeth Day were married in Encampment January 1972. Gay was born in Rawlins, Wyoming on December 15, 1943 the daughter Elizabeth Hewitt and Kenneth Day.
Braniff recalled Butch to Dallas, Texas and later to Key Biscayne, Florida where their daughter, Elizabeth 'Libbi' Truth Alcorn, was born on Dec. 31, 1973. Gay accompanied Butch on flights all over the world.
The family moved back to Wyoming in 1975 when Butch was transferred to the Denver hub. He flew DC-8's until Braniff's 1982 bankruptcy. When Braniff went bankrupt, he was caught in Lima, Peru along with eight other crewmembers. His knowledge of Spanish helped them hitch a ride back to Miami on another airline.
He then got a job with Overseas National Airways in Karachi, Pakistan and later transferred to Saudi Airlines before flying out of Prudhoe Bay and Kuparuk doing radiography on the North Slope of Alaska.
He again went with Braniff (out of bankruptcy) where he flew all seats on the DC-8 until Braniff went bankrupt again.
Butch and Gay were divorced in 1986.
The 'good old boy hot line' found him a job as a trash hauler with Transafrik in Angola, Africa where he flew three-three-month tours in 727-100's, hauling everything from fish to diamonds out of Luanda, Angola, although most of the flying was for the World Food Programme a subsidiary of the United Nations.
He left Transafrik and went back to Wyoming, where met and married Christine E. Marshall on March 5, 1992 in the Silver Queen Saloon in Virginia City, Nevada.
He then worked as a machinist and millwright in a nearby sawmill. When the mill was shut down, he worked as a security guard for five years. He then worked as a ranch hand, in a log home sawmill, but mostly as roustabout hand.
On July 2, 2020, Butch was attempting to fix his roof and as he was going up the ladder to get onto the roof, he was carrying a heavy bucket of repair tar. He made it to the top of the ladder and then fell. He wasn't sure if he landed on the bucket or the bucket landed on him. He attempted to crawl to a neighbor's home and gave up, drew his Colt Defender .45, and fired three shots into the air which brought a number of neighbors to his rescue.
He suffered a compound fracture of his femur (above the knee), a dislocated elbow and six broken ribs. He was flown to the hospital in Casper, Wyoming where they performed surgery on his leg and put his dislocated his elbow back in. He briefly moved to his daughter, Libbi's, home and then went back to the hospital when his elbow dislocated again. After pinning his elbow, they discovered a major infection which was treated, but the anti-biotics induced kidney failure. He was removed to Pathway Hospice in Loveland, Colorado where he passed away on August 7, 2020.
On August 29, 2020, a memorial service was held in the Encampment Presbyterian Church. The following day his ashes were spread, by his family, at the family cabin in the mountains near Encampment, Wyoming.
Gravesite Details
Cremated. Ashes spread near the family cabin, SW of Encampment, WY.
